Same Old Love
by SapphireTrafficker
Summary: DISCONTINUED (Annabeth Chase) She was not the same to people who knew her. (Percy Jackson) He was numbed to every emotion. (Piper McLean) She was not always the decent one like in other stories. (Thalia Grace) She was the only one that understood everything. Full sum inside. Rated-M just in case.
1. One

**A/N: I had been thinking of this story for a long time, and every time I thought of a story line, it ended up similar to this one. I actually had trouble thinking of the title, and I changed it many times when I was still composing. Also, I don't know how frequently will I be able to update, because honestly, I am not a good story writer, and not good with words, so I write slow. I will try my best to make it interesting. The story line I thought of was quite interesting, I think, but I'm not sure if I could present it to you the way I think of it. I may not be as good as some other writers on this website, but I would still like to try, because I actually found it quite interesting to write.**

 **I really don't want to say this, especially at the very beginning, and I think that most people will think of this as a spoiler, so I will just make it brief. It's just a warning. This is a Percabeth story, and there will be mentions of Jasper, no Thalico, because their counsins. Hope you like my story. Also, Nico and Thalia are cousins also with Percy and Jason's Thalia's twin brother. Happy reading!**

 **Also, I am assuming that all the readers to this story know the key features of the main characters like Percy, Annabeth, Piper, Thalia etc., so when you read the description at the beginning you will be able to know who is who, so I presume that the names won't be appearing as a shock.**

 **This story might have something to do with the Selena Gomez song, but it was not my inspiration.**

 **Romance might not be the main genre, but it still plays a big part. Drama and hurt/comfort is more like it. Though the genre of this story will still be putted as Romance/Hurt/Comfort. Still want to tell you people that there will be romance inside.**

 **This may not be the best summary, but if you like complicated stories, then this is your cup of tea. I warn you here, everything is going to get complicated as the story proceeds, so this also means that there will be more confusions, and I will try my best to avoid it. Anyway, I just need to emphasize that THE RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE COMPLICATED.**

* * *

 **SUMMARY:**

(Annabeth Chase) She was not the same to people who knew her. (Percy Jackson) He was numbed to every emotion. (Piper McLean) She was not always the decent one like in other stories. (Thalia Grace) She was the only one that understood everything. There were stories that were untold, truths that were not exposed. She wanted a new start with him. He wanted a chance to explain himself. "I'm so sick of that same old love, that shit, it tears me up.". Both of them wanted something new, not only a new relationship or friendship, but to renew everything. Will that wish come true? After all the things that happened, namely the 'incident', will they return to their old self? Will they be less cold hearted, and be less sensitive to emotions? Rated M for swearing and drug use/trafficking. Not the best summary, maybe not fully summarized the story, but read on if you fee like it.

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The last two weeks before graduation, also the most dramatic weeks for Annabeth, Thalia, Nico, Percy, and Jason. They had just finished their last few exams, and someone was throwing a party to celebrate. This was what all college students do after two stressful weeks of exams and revisions. Unfortunately, Annabeth, Thalia and Nico weren't really those party type. They were planning on staying at home and have a scary move night. They had it all planned, until the call from Annabeth's boyfriend, Thalia and Nico's cousin, Captain of the Swimming team, Percy Jackson. They had been dating since high school, they were the high school sweethearts to everyone. People always knew that they wouldn't be spotted separately, usually. After nearly three years of dating, they were still lovey-dovey, and inseparable.

"Wise Girl, care to spend some of your precious time and come to the party with me?"

"No, and don't get drunk Seaweed Brain, I assume that Jason will keep you out of trouble."

"Please?" Percy was pouting at the other end of the line. Although Annabeth couldn't see it, but he knew perfectly well that Annabeth knew.

"How about a no."

"I don't take no as an answer. I know you're hesitating and giving in." He then teased.

"Ugh… Fine, but I'm bringing your cousins."

"Yea sure, I don't mind as long as you came. See ya in a bit. Love ya." He hanged up.

"It seems like we were going." Annabeth sighed to the other two who were groaning. "Just wear something casual, shall we? Its not like people actually care what you wear, it's not a prom, or anything serious." She added.

They arrived the place not long after. They wore nothing special, but their usual clothes. None of the were fans of make up. Percy was already at the door waiting for his princess, Annabeth Chase.

"Looking good Wise Girl." He kissed her before she was about to say something, because knowing Annabeth, Percy knew that the next thing that came out of her mouth would not be something good. She would probably scold him first for dragging her to a party.

"Wanna have fun tonight?" Percy asked.

"Hell yea!" Shouted Thalia. Nico always acted like an emo, but he never admit that, and he, like Annabeth, wasn't really a party person. Thalia was way different, her style was punk like, and she was usually really straight forward. She would always wanted to go to parties and have fun, she didn't really give a shit in school work, but, courtesy of Annabeth Chase, she still passed her exams. Whenever she wanted to go to a party, Nico and Annabeth would promise her a scary movie night to keep her at home, and sometimes Percy would join, but it would end up with Percy and Annabeth missing out most of the movie making out, and Nico and Thalia gagging and teasing on the side, or maybe trying very hard to focus on the movie.

Percy usually wouldn't go to parties because he would rather stay with Annabeth, and if he went, and Annabeth didn't he knew how worried Annabeth would be. So been the good boyfriend he was, he stayed by her side, distracting her from whatever she was doing.

This party was one of the biggest party people had thrown. The biggest one would obviously be the prom, but it was organized by the school, and not students.

Thalia went off to drink in no second, and Nico was weaving around, trying to find a shadow to stay, leaving Percy and Annabeth sucking faces, and exchanging saliva. The host was the Stolls, also the biggest pranksters, and unfortunately, Leo was also one of the people who helped organized this party. When the Stolls were in charge of something, you'd better be a hundred times more careful than you usually were.

"Percy, can we just get coke? You know that the punch might be spiked, knowing whose the host of tonight's party." Annabeth said, not wanting to get drunk. She could drink quite an amount. She drank with Percy sometimes at home during a long holiday, either to practice their alcohol tolerance or just to have fun, sure every time they did that they had fun.

Knowing that Percy would say yes, she dragged him to the kitchen where the drinks were. She grabbed two cokes and gave one to Percy, but he shook his head slightly, and smiled with mischievousness sparkling in his eyes. "Nah uh, Wise Girl, first party you attend, and it's before graduation, come on. Please? One shot, just one each?". Annabeth reluctantly agreed. She found it odd that Percy would trust the drinks in the party hosted by the school three biggest pranksters, but that night, Annabeth shook it off.

She grabbed the green one as Percy grabbed the blue one. They both raised their glass to each other, "To graduation, to anniversary!", they both said before they downed the drink at once.

Once they started drinking, it was hard to put it to a stop, since it was just the two of them, drowned in their own little love bubble, the drinking scene was familiar with both of them. They had small bits of alcohol every Saturday, they would control the amount, courtesy of Annabeth again, to not get them drunk. This time, maybe because of the environment where every one was drinking and enjoying them selves, whereas, barely any of them were actually sober enough to drive or anything. There was no difference to Percy and Annabeth.

"Be back in a sec, Seaweed Brain, need ta use the bathroom." Giving him a kiss, she went off.

Even with the drunken state, she still knew what she was doing or who she was talking to, thanks to the practice every once in a while. Same with Percy. But that day, it seemed like that Percy had been staying at the party for too long, long enough for a life time, way too much. When Annabeth came back from the bathroom, she witness a scene that she had always feared, and that scene would always imprinted in her mind, no matter what. She had trusted him with her life, yet the sight in front of him surprised her.

Minutes later, she dragged a semi, near unconscious Percy in to his house. His mother Sally was on a vacation with Paul, the house was empty. She had been to his house millions of time. Her relationship with Percy's family was as good as Percy with his family, she even had a key to their house, and Percy had a key to Annabeth's apartment. She dragged Percy upstairs and put him on his bed, it was not like she wasn't upset and disappointed with Percy's action, she was beyond upset, she was furious, but because of her love towards Percy, she still managed to maintain her anger, and settle Percy safely.

When Percy's body made contact with the soft king size bed, he slurred. He opened his eyes fully. "Annabeth? Is this my house?" His voice contained surprise.

"Yes, this is your house, and this is your room." She answered in monotone, she wasn't quite ready to pour anger in it, actually, she was paralyzed by the scene at the party. She didn't know what to think. She decided to confront Percy when he became sober, but, when she thought of it, anger boiled in her veins. She couldn't contain it anymore.

"Perseus Jackson," She said in a deadly calm and yet serious voice. Percy was a bit startled by the tone, and winced at the full name address, even in his semi conscious state, he was still able to speak and listen clearly, even though his mind would more likely be malfunctioning. "Care to explain what happened after I got up to go to the bathroom?" Still in the same tone.

"What?" He looked at her. She glared, grey eyes turing into steel, staring at Percy. She said nothing, "Oh, that, I remembered." He said rather cheerfully. Annabeth had no idea where did this sudden cheerfulness came from, she was not sure if it was for the incident or for the fact that he remembered.

"Hmm… So, you saw what happened didn't you." He didn't wait for an answer and continued, not looking at her, "Well, it was obvious wasn't it, I thought it was quite clear. Didn't you understand my message that I was addressing to you in that? I just wanted to try something new, you know…" She didn't let him finished. She stood up abruptly, ignoring the pain in her head, she grabbed her stuff, and turned around one last time and glared at Percy, who wasn't looking at her. "Goodnight Percy." She said through teary eyes, her voice shaken. Percy with his eyes closed mumbled something that she couldn't and didn't want to make out. Before she went, she turned back and got out a piece of paper and a pen, she left a note on his night stand with his phone on top:

 _Read it when you are SOBER!_

 _You will lose the keys to my apartment when I stopped loving you. For now, we're done. Consider yourself lucky that you still have the privilege to go to my house, but that doesn't mean that you are welcomed anytime soon. — A.C._

A drop of tear dropped on the paper, and smudge the words a little, but still readable.

She turned off the light and close the door, rather loudly than expected. She ran down the stairs and ran out the door with tears in her eyes. She didn't bother to call Thalia or Nico. She drove home. Lucky her, that she wasn't caught drunk driving, and was safely home without any suspicion from the police.

She went upstairs to her room straight away. Without changing anything, she flopped on her bed, crying into her pillows. She tried to dry her tears when she heard the front doors unlocked, but she failed, she just couldn't keep her mind off what Percy had said to her. No, she had to distract herself. She sat up in her bed, tears were still streaming down her face. She had never cried so hard over a break up, not that she had a lot, this was only her second relationship. Frankly, she was not so into her first relationship.

Thalia and Nico came to her room to check if Annabeth was home. Both of them were not drunk, they were just a bit tipsy. Annabeth's lights weren't turned on, so they didn't know that Annabeth was crying. She was barely able to contain herself, but she made no sound, she silently hoped that Thalia and Nico wouldn't notice her and thought she was still out. However, that night was the night Annabeth had her worst luck.

"Annabeth?" Her lights were flicked on, and immediately both of her best friends and roommate ran to her, and sat by her side. She was numb, she didn't have any reaction, she didn't even bother to look at them, she just sat there staring at the ceiling, with her eyes closed, and tears stain still not dry. Her face was complete wet, and her hair was not better. Her blonde curls were sticked on her face, but she never bothered to do anything with them. She was paralyzed, at that moment, she couldn't move, she felt like she was dead in her own body.

"Annabeth?" This time was Nico who spoke. Although he acted like an emo, or maybe he was a emo, but when he was with Annabeth or his cousins, he showed emotions when they needed it. His voice was filled with concerns.

Because Annabeth still didn't move, she seemed immobilized. Thalia noticed the severeness of the situation, she didn't even tried to make a joke or tease her. She just sat their shocked by Annabeth, she didn't know what to do, she had never saw Annabeth like that in her almost fifteen years of friendship. Thalia and Nico shared a worried glance. They walked out, turning the light off on their way.

"What do you think happened?" Thalia asked voice filled with worries. She knew what Annabeth's family was like, she knew that was the reason why she (Annabeth) was living with her and Nico.

* * *

The following Monday, everything was as it was, nothing seemed to be different. No one was talking about the party last Friday night, and no one seemed to care that if there were any new couples after the party, or any other gossips. Every one was just interested in their score, because the second last week before graduation would be the week announcing their scores.

No one seemed to notice one person standing in between Thalia and Nico facing the locker, well maybe except two people, but that two people walked away silently. Usually that person with her head in the locker would be Annabeth, and usually it was the blonde princess curls that hung till her waist was what people seen near the lockers. Today, at the same place, instead of the long blonde hair, it was a black hood that people saw from the back. Turning around, instead of the face clear from make up, and curls in a messy bun, what people saw was a face with very thick smokey eye liner, and black lips, with two strips of blonde curls hung from each side of her shoulders. Her forehead was covered up by the hood, and her grey orbs were hardly visible because of the smokey makeup.

Every one was not oblivious by that change. Annabeth usually wasn't a person that people considered a nerd, since her boyfriend had a reputation, and she was the smartest person in her grade. The drama wasn't that dramatic in college compared to high school times, but every where couldn't be lack of sluts. Not many people knew her, but all of them seemed to have silently agreed not to mess with her. Although people except her friends didn't know a damn about her black belt in karate and her master degree in judo, but she seemed to had that aura to made every one have a silent agreement with her not to mess with her. She wasn't in the popular league, nor was her boyfriend or any of her close friend, but every one in her grade knew her. Even some students from the grades below knew her and her group of friends. People had asked about her change, either out of curiosity or out of concerns, but she all brushed them off without any explanation. Thalia and Nico didn't gave any clue to the change, although they knew perfectly well why, or they would had guessed.

Annabeth was not the only one that changed, but her change was written all on her face. Percy was also not the same. To the others, he was the same Percy they knew, but to Jason, he was so different from before the party, yet he was not the only one that noticed the change, but he was only one that showed concerns. He knew that something had happened, and he knew better not to ask, because Percy would tell him when he's ready. No body noticed that whenever Percy looked at Annabeth, guilt was written all over his face, and in his eyes. Little did they know, this was the only real emotion that Percy had showed after the party, all the other emotions that he showed were fake, he acted the same as before for Jason's sake. He didn't want Jason, nor anyone to know what really happened, he wanted no one to know about the truth, so he chose to act the same to cover up. All of Annabeth and Percy's actions and changes weren't obvious to other people, but they were obvious to both of them. There were rumors of why had Annabeth changed her style, nonetheless, Percy was the only one that knows the whole truth, even Thalia and Nico only knew part of it.

The last two weeks pasted with nothing major happening. Annabeth would change the shades of her eyeliner and her lipstick according to her mood in the morning. People were still curious why she had changed, but they were only whispering, and soon after people seemed to have gotten used to the change and nobody bothered to think about it. The first day of her change, she had the darkest mood, and so her makeup color were the darkest. Black eyeliner, and black lipsticks. She still appeared in the library, but people usually wouldn't notice her, because she was too dark in color.

She wasn't really interested in the graduation ceremony. Even with her change in style, her IQ and her behavior in class and everything else she presented to her teacher didn't change. She was the chosen valedictory long ago. At the time when she got chosen, she was so excited, she kept jumping around, Thalia almost thought she was high. She was extremely excited and looking forward to the graduation ceremony. After the party on that Friday night, she changed her view. Although she was still proud that she was the valedictory, but she wasn't planning on staying at the ceremony long enough for it to end.

"Thals, can we leave after my valediction." She said more like a statement than a question. Thalia knew better not to argue. She simply just nodded. "Let me inform Nico, wait here, I'll be quick.", she left without another word.

Weaving through the crowd, she didn't say another word, not even an 'excuse me', not that she wanted to be rude, its just that she didn't felt the need of saying it. Today was suppose to be a happy day, and she was somewhat relieved that she was finally graduating. Therefore, she wore the lightest makeup so far in the two weeks. She did not wore lipstick, instead she decided to wear lip gloss, not the shiny type, but just enough to kept her lips moist. Her eyeliner were not so smokey and dark like always, her eyeliner were thinner and lighter in shades for the sake of last day of school, and she also needed to face the whole school faculties and parents, she shouldn't be showing the school that she was a dark person. One streak of her hair was grey, not any kind of grey, but like the ones called space grey, She didn't bother to dye it back just for graduation, she decided to leave that way. Her clothes were a little different from the other days, instead of the black hoody, she forced her self to wear her normal clothes, but not the color she wore before the party. Her clothes were grey with a black jacket, not leather just fabric, and black skinny jeans, pure black, no blue mixtures, her shoes were converse with sea-green shoe laces, otherwise all black, but not shiny.

She walked towards a corner, where she spotted Nico. Too bad that she had to face more than one person. Her former, or as she had always persuaded her self, former, best friends, Percy and Jason were with Nico. Her curls bounced, and her head slightly tilted downwards. Slowly, she approached Nico, not given even a glance to the other two, she put her left hand on his right shoulder, and said near his ears, "Wait for you five minutes at front gate after my valediction, bring no one, no come no go, your choice.", and with that, she walked away without glancing back. A hand tugged on her wrist. She knew who that was even without turning back, ⎡classy move⎦, she thought. She shook off his hand immediately after the touch, and before she started to walk again, "I don't want to hurt anyone in the last day of school.". Throwing this sentence over her shoulder, she walked away the same way she approached. She could feel that person, Percy's, longing stare on her back, but she didn't care, she tried to block that feeling away. She did that for half a month, and she could do that just one more time.

Annabeth's words to Nico was not just for him, she knew perfectly well that Jason and Percy would heard her, and that was what she wanted. The 'bring no one' meant Percy and Jason, specifically Percy, and the three of them knew that very well deep down, but they wouldn't name names.

Annabeth's valediction was a success to her, it improved her mood a little. She left right after she got off stage, she didn't even wait for the teachers to congratulate her, she didn't felt like celebrating. There would be a prom on the next day, but Annabeth didn't felt like going, nor did Thalia and Nico. Thalia wouldn't go because she thought prom organized by the school wouldn't be as fun. Annabeth, after 'that' party, would never wanted to have a date in a while, not even prom date, she just didn't felt like it; and she didn't felt that prom was her thing anymore.

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 **A/N: Please check out my other stories if you haven't, they were both one-shots, and they were completed. I welcome any kind of reviews. :) It will mean a lot to me if you review or comment on my story, and I will update, but I am not really sure when. You know, although I am on summer holiday, but I still don't have much time, still quite busy. Please understand that. Really hope someone will like my story. And I also hope my story made sense. If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, you are more than welcomed! Please review, and say whatever you want, and I will reply to your questions if you have one. Personal Messages are also welcomed!**

 **Stay tuned :D**

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 _ **SapphireTrafficker**_


	2. Two

**A/N: Is it because I posted this chapter too quick? Or is it because…? You know, comments and reviews always gives me motives to continue writing, but I didn't get any. Should I wait for longer? Construction criticisms are allowed, and I really wanna know how YOU feel about this story. What YOU think of this story. Not me. It's YOU. I care about what you think, I wanna know what can I do better. I will consider all your ideas and suggestions if you ever give me one. I hope I would get some reviews after this chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **5 Years Later**

"Before we start our very first interview with this band, let us enjoy the show first! Let's welcome the new American rock band who had recently risen to fame, the Blender!"

This was the very first sentence Percy heard when he turned on the television. He didn't feel like going out in an afternoon. Although he was famous, the youngest hollywood actor and stuff, but he wasn't really enjoying it. He had made an amount of money, enough to afford a mansion. He lived with his cousin, also his best friend since high school, Jason Grace. Jason became his manager after he got famous, and now Jason had a girlfriend, whom had moved in to stay with Jason. Percy didn't have anything against Jason's girlfriend, in fact he had always think that his girlfriend would make a good friend of Annabeth's. But that memory pained him. He didn't want to remember.

Jason's girlfriend, Piper McLean. She had secret that no one except her boyfriend and Percy knew, she was the daughter of the famous hollywood actor, Tristan McLean. Piper had always denied her father-daughter relationship with Tristan to the press, and Tristan had never said anything about Piper in public, so, people tend to think that they had no relationship whatsoever, but people still had doubts.

That wasn't the first time Percy had heard the name of this new rock band, and every time he heard it, he switched the channel, because he didn't feel like listening to rock musics, and Jason knew that very well. But this time, when he was about to reach for the remote controller, Percy put his hand up, "Let's just listen to it for the first time shall we? I wanna hear it.", he said. Jason retrieved his out stretched hand.

The stage blacked out. Then all of a sudden, along with the low voice of the electric guitar, the light lit back up, but it was dim, only bright enough for the audience to see the shadow. The light was shinning onto the back of the stage, so that the people would look shadowy, so that people could only see their shape but not faces. There were three people on stage, stood in a triangle shape. Standing in front was a girl, or maybe a woman per say, with curly hair, and a guitar striped across her, we could tell that her head was slightly looking downwards, and both her legs were apart, she was standing in front of a microphone. The other two at the back, one with a spiky hair had a bass in hand, and the other one was sitting behind a drum set, drum sticks in hand.

Note by note, the music started with the strumming of the electric guitar. Then someone blew into the microphone, as if they were smoking; next that person cleared her throat. And started.

 _Somebody mixed my medicine._

There was still only an electric guitar that was playing. The light did nothing, it did not move, nor turned darker or brighter.

 _Somebody mixed my medicine._

After this line, the guitar lingered a little. Then, with the clearing of throat again, and with the start of the drum just a little after the clearing, the light lit up, and focused onto the singer. Bits of lights shone on the other two band mates. The white light was only bright enough to see the other two's faces, but in a not so clear way. Three lights were gathered, and focused on the one with the mic in hand. The light was also white, but it was bright. You couldn't see exactly the figure on her face, but you could spot everything else. Her face was like in the shadow, because her head was not completely facing the audience, it was still bending downwards a little. She had a curly blonde hair with a streak of grey on the left side. Her lips were black.

 _Well you hurt where you sleep and you sleep where you lie_

 _Now you're in deep and now you're gonna cry_

 _Got a woman to your left_

 _And a boy to your right_

 _You start to sweat so_

 _Hold me tight 'cause_

Her head shot up with the start of her singing. We could now see that her eyeliner were black mixed with green, it was really thick, and it almost covered her eyes. Under the light, her clothes were shimmering, it was a leather jacket, and a leather pants, with a pair very high black heals her long legs were showing off. The music was building up. Drums were added, and base was slowly emerging.

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _I don't know what I'm on_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _Now baby its all gone_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _And somebody's in my head again_

 _And somebody mixed my medicine again, again_

Every instruments were on. It was still in the same beat. All instruments were added when this verse was sang. She looked straight forward while she sang. At the end of this verse, she threw back her head, and revealing more of her face.

"Annabeth Chase?" Jason gasped out loud. Percy winced at the name. "Sorry man, didn't mean to do that." Jason apologized quietly, but Percy didn't seemed to heard it, because he was too focused on the lead singer, Annabeth Chase. A wave of guilt washed over him, he was the reason she changed.

Jason noticed Percy seemed uncomfortable. "Should we switch a channel?", he offered. Percy, again, was too focused, his eyes were glued on the girl. Piper nudged Jason, and shook her head, so Jason put down the remote control quietly.

 _Well I drink what you leak and I smoke what you sigh_

 _See you cross the room with that look in your eye_

 _Got a man to his left and a girl to his right_

 _You start to sweat so_

 _Hold me tight 'cause_

The song kept on going, and everyone stayed quite. Percy seemed to be attracted by it.

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _I don't know what I'm on_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _Now baby its all gone_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _Somebody's in my head again_

 _And somebody mixed my medicine again, again_

 _There's a tiger in the room and a baby in the closet_

 _Pour another drink mom I don't even want it_

 _Then I turn around and think I see someone that looks like you_

 _Well you hurt where you sleep and you sleep where you lie_

 _Now you're in deep and now you're gonna cry_

 _Got a woman to your left_

 _And a boy to your right_

 _You start to sweat so_

 _Hold me tight 'cause_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _I don't know what I'm on_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _Now baby its all gone_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _Somebody's in my head again again_

 _And somebody mixed my medicine_

 _Again, again, again_

 _Again, again, again_

 _Again, again, again_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

 _Somebody mixed my medicine_

Till the song ended, nobody seemed to moved. Percy was frozen, his eyes still stuck to the screen, not able to move. Piper was confused, but knew not to ask. She asked Jason silently using her eyes, and Jason mouthed back, ⎡Later⎦, she nodded, and turned back to the television.

"Wanna hear another one, people?" Annabeth shouted in to the mic.

The crowed erupted. This time, louder than after they just finished. Even louder than before their first performance.

"Okay! Here we go! One. Two. Three. Four!"

And the music started. The crowed were still cheering, but was quieter, because they needed to hear the music.

 _Alone, afraid, the kid your mother made_

 _Sitting in your room drooling like a loser with all this doom_

 _You think, then you start to drink_

 _Then you get so paranoid with all the drugs they fill you with (then boom)_

 _Does it make you feel like a man? (boom)_

 _It's not the size we understand (boom)_

 _You think you're gonna get with me_

 _You're never gonna get with me_

 _You're never gonna dance with me_

The crowed clapped and whistled once more. There were even people standing up.

Percy's mind wasn't functioning right that moment. He was kinda jealous to let the others hear Annabeth's beautiful voice. The voice he missed ever since graduation. He almost regret that he didn't record Annabeth's valedictory speech, because he just loved that voice so much. He didn't like about Annabeth's change at first, but then, he would rather have a changed Annabeth back rather than her leaving him. He would love her no matter what style she had changed into. At that point, he was determined to find Annabeth again, and explain and beg for a second chance. If Annabeth would not listen or did not believe him, he would still be satisfied with just seeing her in person.

 _I admit, I feel like you, like shit_

 _But I don't go out and take it out on everyone about it_

 _We're all part of the system_

 _You wanna start a war?_

 _Feel better we won't miss it_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Everybody's got one, there's nothing new about it_

 _Want to make a statement?_

 _You should have come without it_

 _You turn the TV on, watch it if you dare_

 _You see a politician and you start to pull your hair_

 _Whistle to dimensions see there's really nothing there_

 _You want it so much you think they think they fucking care (and boom)_

 _Do you think they hear you now? (and boom)_

 _Making noises in the crowd_

 _All in the way that you're using_

 _You love it so much then why do you abuse it?_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Everybody's got one, there's nothing new about it_

 _Want to make a statement?_

 _You should have come without it_

 _We're all part of the system_

 _Load em up, shoot em down_

 _'Cause you keep fucking missing_

 _(We're all part of the system_

 _Load em up, shoot em down_

 _'Cause you keep fucking missing)_

 _Alone, afraid, you want to make em pay_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Everybody's got one, there's nothing new about it_

 _Want to get the girl?_

 _Then you should have come without it_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

 _Why'd you bring a shotgun to the party?_

The big famous hollywood star, the boy where every girl would swoon at, and the boy who every girl would throw themselves at. Percy Jackson, was miserable over a girl, the one who had just risen to fame. The lead singer of the youngest American rock band, and also the only rock band with a female rock singer, Annabeth Chase.

After the applause died down, the interviewer said in to the microphone, "Come have a seat the Blender.". By this time, all the light had already lit up to normal.

"So should you guys introduce yourselves first? Or shall I do that for you?" Says the interviewer.

"Annabeth Chase, main vocal, backup guitar, and co-founder of the Blender." Annabeth started.

"Thalia Grace, electric bass and founder of the Blender." Thalia continued.

"Nico Di Angelo, drummer." Nico said at last.

Annabeth had the heaviest makeup. Thalia and Nico both had none, but both of them were seriously pale comparing to Annabeth who were tanner.

"None of them had changed." This was the first thing that came out of the paralyzed Percy's mouth after he gained back his control. Yet, his voice were hoarse and quiet, but still captured by the other two besides him. Jason nodded knowingly, and Piper just stared at the television, still watching the interview.

"So from that introduction, I heard that you, Annabeth, are not the founder of this band. How so?"

"Um, I know the usually lead singers were the founder of a band, but starting a band wasn't my idea initially, it was Thalia's. She suggested we start a band because all three of us had known each other pretty long, and had similar style and taste, and I agreed. So we talked to Nico, and started it." The interview nodded in acknowledgement. "I see. Usually, I'm saying just usually, and I know your band is different from the other ones, who wrote the all the songs? I thought you guys would be doing cover for the other bands.". The interviewer threw another question at them. The audience were quiet, waiting for the answer. All of them were interested in this newly formed rock band, and especially with two female leading.

"Annabeth is the one who wrote all the songs. Nico and I helped sometimes, but both of us are as good as Annabeth, so we only gives her suggestions and ideas and inspirations, but we don't write them." Thalia answered. "We also suggest words or phrases to Annabeth when she's stuck or can't think of anything to write." Nico added.

"So, currently, how many songs have you written, Annabeth?"

"Well, I was planning on recording them and make them to an album, so for now, I'm not gonna tell ya, wait for the debut." She grinned. Percy was just love sick with that grin of hers, he was so obsessed with her laugh and her smile, it had been a really long time since he last saw her smile, oh, how he missed it. Percy was numb about emotions, Annabeth was not. However, people never knew Annabeth's emotions, because she had the covered real good, she seemed to be enjoying and happy on stage, and that was what the fans believed, and that was what Annabeth wanted them to believe, too.

"I think your band is really successful at this stage, look at how many audience do you have on your first performance, and your first interview. There is also tons of people watching live on TV, I think the fame of your band will be boosting in the next couple of days. Last question from me before you can answer questions from the audience. What are the motives that made you start this band?"

There was a long silence before we got the answer from them. They had a silent eye contact, and they seemed to be debating through their eyes. Annabeth kept shaking her head, she seemed uncomfortable talking about motives. Lastly, she puts her head down, looked at the ground for a bit. Then, Thalia spoke, "Um, sorry, we are not comfortable talking about this. Please understand, it's a bit personal. Thank you." Annabeth looked up after Thalia spoke, and said, "We can now answer any questions from the audience.", changing the subject. That action made the interviewer be at a loss for a moment, but then, nodded at what Annabeth had said, and added, "Now there will be a mic passing around, press the button on your chair arm to notify the workers."

"First up, fifth row, number thirty-six, please ask."

"Hi, um, I've heard of you for a long time, and I really liked your music, and I was overwhelmed when I heard that I get to come to this interview. So my question's, when will your first album debut? And is it possible that you would tell me the name? Thanks."

"Hi. Thank you for favoriting our music, I hope you enjoyed it. So as for your questions, I'm sorry that I cannot answer your second question, and I will apologize in front, because I cannot tell you the exact time of it's due date, but I can tell you vaguely. Our first album will be making it's debut in about three months. We will post a Twitter the day before our album is out, so you can go follow us on Twitter. I hope this answer is enough for you." Annabeth answered with a smile.

"I just with I could talk to her." Percy mumbled under his breath. He was staring at the screen emotionless. His mind was blank, he really didn't know what to think at that moment, he didn't want to think about Annabeth nor the perfect moments their shared.

On the TV, the Blender was still answering questions from the audience.

* * *

"And we will have a place for you, fans, to ask questions for our band at the next interview, and they will answer them during the interview. Thanks for all your time and your support, let's have one last around of applause for The Blender!"

Annabeth and the other two walked to the backstage. "Thought we did okay up there." Annabeth said in a thoughtful tone to the other two. Both of them nodded in unison. They knew that they didn't tell the audience the real reason they formed this band. Thalia and Nico both knew that Annabeth wouldn't be in a great mood right that moment, because when the interviewer asked the motives of forming this band, it ignited the fuse of a time bomb in Annabeth, and if he asked anymore questions on the background of this band or their personal life, Annabeth would definitely explode. So when they heard Annabeth's thoughtful voice, they knew Annabeth was just putting up for their sake, so they didn't bother her much more.

The trio had been together ever since elementary school. Thalia was the only one who was allowed to call her 'Annie', and Annabeth was the only one who was allowed to call her 'Thals'. People who had tried to call them that hadn't end up well, in fact, the majority ended up pretty damaged.

This was their ever first interview, and their first performance in public. Already, there were paparazzi waiting outside the gate trying to snap pictures of them together. When they left, they made a mistake of not choosing to walk through the secret aisle, instead, they walked out the normal way. Fans were already gathering, people were shouting, and throwing their hands and pens to them for their signature. They were so welcomed by America. Their first YouTube video had gotten the greatest hit in the music category. It was a huge success to The Blender.

Every since their first debut performance on that interview, the press had been trying to dug out gossips about them. They tried to spot all three of them with some other people, but the press seemed to be failing at that part, because none of them had even got caught by the cameras, with or without a third person. Annabeth, been the lead singer, of course got the most attention. However, on the magazines, music news reports, there were only ever words and articles about her, and only her photos from their first performance. It had been weeks after their debut performance, yet still the press didn't gain any information on their personal life. None. The three of them seemed to be hiding very well.

The article on The Blender and the members soon started to be half faked, because they couldn't gather enough information, so they started to made things up. Such as their personal life. No one knew where they lived, and no one knows anything about them other than saw them on TV. No even a single soul had claim to spot them somewhere.

It was very different on Percy's case. He always seemed to be the trend of the press. There were always pictures of him with different women. Though the picture didn't indicate anything, but it was still enough for the press to carry on making up their story. Soon, he was claimed, by the press, to be the youngest womanizer in hollywood. Jason, on the other hand was his manager, he knew that all those things stated by the press were not true, but he also knew that Percy didn't stop them because he wanted to gain attention. Not anyone's attention. Some one in particular, a woman. Jason was well-known because of his girlfriend and his best friend. Him, in particular didn't do something astonishing, nor did he wanted any fame, he thought he was having a somewhat nice and satisfying life.

* * *

 **A/N: Please review! Your thoughts and comments mean tons to me! Also, a thank you to all who had read my story(ies)!**


	3. Three

The Blender's first album debut couple months after their debut performance and interview. Only few days passed, they had sold out millions of it already. It was really a huge success to them. They still continued their usual routine, which was posting videos on YouTube. There channel had quite a lot of people subscribing.

"Hey guys! So this is The Blender again!" Thalia said to the camera.

"So we agreed and promised you all to make a live Q&A video." Annabeth continued.

"And here we are!" Nico shouted.

Annabeth was sitting in the middle, and Thalia on her right, Nico on her left.

"So, um, let's see, what do we have here…" She scrolled down the computer screen to find the right question, "just saying, we may not have time to answer all questions, and we might refuse to answer some questions because it is too personal, I hope you understand. So first off, ⎡Where did you graduate? What were your subjects?⎦. The three of us all graduated from the same colleague, Stanford University. Starting off with me, my main subjects were architecture and psychology."

"My subject was sociology, and I'm into archery, but they didn't offer that in Stanford." Thalia said.

"Anthropology. Yea I know weird right, you would probably think why would us three start a band if our subjects were pretty good."

"Okay, moving on. I find that a lot of you are interested in why we started this band, and why do we make ourselves look like this. I know it's unusual for female be rock stars, but don't be stereotypical. And as for your most common questions, I'm going to say, we're sorry that we cannot answer that, because to us, the reason and initiative of why we started this band or why we turned into this style, it is quite personal, and we don't like to share it. Sorry again to you all, this will disappoint a lot of you, we are really sorry for that."

"Moving on." Thalia said, changing the subject right after Annabeth's short apologizing speech. "Let's see, ah, this question, I like it, our stylist."

"Silena Beauregard!" All three of them shouted. "Someone is asking for you, dress nicely, and come down at once. We allow you to bring a plus one." Thalia shouted teasingly at the door behind them.

Seconds later, two people arrived at the door dumbfounded.

"Ah, so you did bring a plus one, I just know you so well." Thalia teased.

"So let us introduce you our stylist, Silena!" Annabeth said in an announcing voice **(A/N: If you know what I mean.)**. "Beside her is her boyfriend and our so-called body guard," pointing to the well built muscle man beside Silena, "Charles Beckendorf!" The two waved.

"And now you can go, I think." Nico added.

"Whoa, just a sec." Said Annabeth, "I just saw another question pop up, asking how did Silena do it?" "Do what?" Asked Thalia. Then the explanation popped up just in time before they skipped to the next question.

"Oh. So, Silena, care to explain?" Thalia had a grin on her face and looked back at Silena. "Oh, haha, yea sure. So basically, they gave me a bunch of clothes, and I chose what they should wear from that pile of clothes. My job is actually pretty simple, because the only one who needed a lot of makeup was Annabeth, but she always did it herself," Annabeth darkened at the memory of when she first started to apply makeup, but soon recovered. "So I only have to Thalia and Nico's hair, which isn't hard, because they don't have some kind of hair style, I just have to smooth out their bed head, that's all. As for Annabeth, she occasionally would come and ask me for help for her makeup, but only for advise, she always apply them herself. So yep, that's my job, simple enough right?" Silena sent the camera a wink before turning around and dragged Beckendorf out with her.

They answered a few questions. Then Thalia burst out laughing suddenly. Annabeth and Nico both looked at her as if she had three heads. Eyebrow raised, "What?" Annabeth demanded. Thalia couldn't stop laughing, she pointed to one of the comment in all capital letters: YOUR STYLIST IS HOT!

After seeing that comment, a smile broke to Nico's face, and a smirk appeared on Annabeth's. Both Annabeth and Nico laughed less than Thalia. Nico didn't even smile a lot, his smile could be creepy sometimes, most people considered Nico's plain face as a happy face to Nico. The most Annabeth would do was smirk, but she never laughed out loud. At least after that night, that incident. She showed less emotions, not even towards her best friends.

"Ha, here's an interesting one." Nico said, pointing to the computer screen.

"What are your favorite bands?" Annabeth read it out loud. "Woo, indeed interesting."

"Green Day, and Fall Out Boy!" Thalia shouted.

"Sum 41." Nico said.

"The Pretty Reckless!" Annabeth shouted, even louder than Thalia. Little did the audience know, that band was part of their inspiration. Annabeth had always been obsessed with that band, and with Taylor Momsen, and ever since that incident, she found it the great opportunity to become her. She was now very similar to her, but still had her own style.

* * *

The session continued for half an hour. Percy was watching it silently, he was silently blaming himself for Annabeth's change. He knew that Annabeth wasn't exactly happy at this phase, but he didn't know what to do, he knew that one encounter might lose whatever was left inside Annabeth, one wrong move might destroy himself. Jason was filling Piper in about Percy's numbness towards emotions.

"— That party was good, but it would be better if the host were not the Stolls. I mean I don't really know exactly what happened that night, but the following Monday, when I went up to greet Percy, his eyes seemed distance. Although he tried to act like his old self, but I know that something was different, something had changed. I saw him and Annabeth left early, but I didn't catch the expression on their face —" Piper gasped, cutting him off, "Wait, Annabeth? You mean the lead singer in The Blender?" Jason nodded. "The one and only." "Wow, he's lucky." Piper muttered.

"He was." Jason said, emphasizing the 'was'.

"No, no, he still is. Obviously Annabeth still like him, or maybe she still thinks that Percy's the only one she loved." Piper shook her head gently. Jason looked puzzled, but Piper motioned him to continue. So he started to tell Piper that Thalia was his twin sister, but their relationship was strain, and they hadn't talked ever since that party. Seemed like that party had changed quite a lot of people.

"Whoa, wait, back up. How do you know he still have Annabeth's heart? I know he still loves her." Jason was really confused at Piper's comment earlier.

"Boys," Piper sighed before she started to explain, "So, see how Annabeth had not been spotted with another man by the press, nor had she even been spotted by anyone, she was hiding from the public pretty well, it could be because she simply doesn't like attention, but after what you had told me, I think it's more likely that she doesn't want a particular person to see her personal life, or rather say, see her with some other guy. This means that she really cared about that person, and that person should be Percy, most likely. She didn't want attention, and notice how she tensed up when they asked her about why they started the band, I think it's possible that she started it because of someone, she wanted to get noticed by that person in an unknown way. So not gaining too much attention, and also made sure that she gained some. You know what I mean? She implied her feelings towards a person in all her actions. And you were right, Percy still loves her. I find explaining all this to you hard, so all I will say is that she had implied it, but people who doesn't know her won't know that all of what she did in public was indicating something, and implying something to someone." Piper finished, looking up at an amazed Jason. She smiled slightly, stood up, and walked back into the living room where Percy was watching YouTube on his TV. It was playing The Blender's live Q&A.

* * *

"Guys, someone asked about whether if we have any secrets, you guys mind sharing one of them?" Annabeth asked, "This should be the last question we will be answering, sorry for all those who still have questions. Because I just like you guys so much, I think I will leak some information. We will host an interview and perform one song next week. So all I'm saying is that, prepare some questions that you want to ask and send them to the interviewer, we will answer them if we have time. Last thing before I share my secret, I know all of you are interested in why we made this band, I understand that it feels bad when you can't get an answer from us because we thought it's too personal, but I will answer that during the interview if any of you asked.

Okay, so my secret is that I have two tattoos, one is an owl at the back of my ear, and I'm not telling ya the second one." She sent them a wink, then gestured Thalia and Nico to continue.

"My secret, hm… You caught me. I'm not sure if this count as a secret or not, but I never apply any makeup. My face was naturally this pale, but not as pale as Nico's here —" "Hey!" "— And my hair is naturally this spiky, I did nothing, nor did our stylist, I didn't use anything to make it stand up, it just did. Anyway, that is my secret, at least I thought that is one." Thalia finished with another wink, and smiled.

"Wow, my secret, I have quite a lot, I have to think of one that I can share. Em… I'm homosexual. I think that's a lot to take in at once, so no further information will be given out by me, I will give no surprises, because my secret is a big surprise to everyone who doesn't know me, I'm assuming." Nico finished off his sharing with one of his creepy smiles. "And now it's time for you to let our answers sink into your mind. See you on the interview! Hasta la vista!" And the camera turned off.

* * *

Percy and Jason were planning on having a guys night out, since Piper had to sing at a bar. Percy wanted to visit his mom after their guys night, and maybe spent a night there. Piper had cut of her relationship with her father publicly, but in reality, they didn't, they just simply didn't get along. Piper herself was always know as the daughter of Tristan McLean in doubt, because neither of them had publicly acknowledged each other, but because of their last name, the press had always had that doubt. And now, since Piper was not that famous, and claimed to have no relationship with Tristan whatsoever, she had to earn her money by singing in a local club.

Piper went there as usual. She arrived the backstage, and was greeted by the manager, Calypso. Piper sang different songs depending on her mood, and today, she was going to sing 'The A Team' by Ed Sheeran, this was the first cover she did, but she never had the chance to perform it, so now, she thought it was her time to shine, and she she thought this should also be her last cover she did. As she started, the people started to grew quieter, enough for them to still chat while listening to the music.

* * *

Thalia and Nico went to the new CD store than just opened up, so that Annabeth alone. Not actually alone, but with Colli. Colli was a mix of Border Colli with Husky, it was never mentioned because it brought too much grief and pain. She was given to Annabeth at the start of their senior year in college by Percy, it was the type of dog that Annabeth had always dreamed of. Annabeth and Percy would walk her together, they played with her together, and they took turns in taking care of her, but most of the time, Colli was with Annabeth. After that Friday night, Annabeth came home, not daring to look at Colli. Even after several weeks, she could still not look at her without thinking back at the good times she had spent with Percy and Colli together. Colli had always been a sweet and caring dog, she sensed Annabeth's despair, and tried to comfort her. She was the only string to life for Annabeth, if it was not for her, Annabeth would have cut herself long ago.

Colli had a full name, Colli Shepherd, but it was only written on her collar. She ever only knew herself as Colli, and not Collie Shepherd. The last name was given by Annabeth because she found it interesting to have a last name for a dog. The dog wasn't the only thing that brought back unpleasant memories. The tattoos she had also brought back times she had spent with Percy. They went to dye a streak of their hair grey together, and they went to get their first tattoo together, too. Their second one was a surprise to both of them. Percy's first tattoo was on his right forearm, it was a flying pegasus; the second one was Annabeth's name in Greek, it was located on the outside of his right thumb, no one seemed to notice that one, only Annabeth did, and if anyone noticed it they wouldn't understand them.

Since she was about to go on tour, she thought that she could pay a visit to Sally. She hadn't seen her since their graduation, and she had always considered Sally her family. She trusted them. Although, Sally's husband, Paul Bolfis was her high school teacher, but it somehow wasn't that awkward when they see each other at Sally's house. She decided to leave Colli to Sally while she was on tour. Deep down, a voice hoped that Percy would meet Colli. She didn't want to bump into Percy in his house, because Sally still remained a really good relationship with her after the break up. Percy had kept leaked most his schedule to the press, everyone who payed close attention to Percy would know where he would be at what point. Annabeth wasn't really worried to find Percy at his moms, so there she went, perfectly normal and not worried.

She leashed Colli, and walked her to Sally house, which was not far away from her apartment she shared with Thalia and Nico since high school. She still had the keys to Sally's apartment, because at the time when they started dating, Percy was still living with his mom, and later moved out to share an apartment with Jason. He gave her the keys to his mom's apartment and also to his shared apartment. Annabeth still kept them with her own.

She walked up the stairs into the lobby, and walked into the elevator. No one seemed to notice her. For Sally's sake, she lightened her makeup today, and put on lip gloss instead of black lipsticks. She didn't look that goth. Again, she did that for Sally's sake. She feared that her knew gothic look would scare Sally a little. Coming out the elevator, she walked up to the once cozy and one of the sweetest place in her memory. She stood their, keys in her hand. She was hesitating whether to insert them or to knock. She hadn't been visiting for a while, she thought it would be intruding if she just entered with her copy of keys. It would be easier, but that was not going to be polite, even though they consider you family, it was still not nice to just went in like a burglar after several years of not visiting.

Annabeth finally decided to knock on the door. Not after long, the door opened.

"Annabeth! Fancy seeing you here! It has been a long time." Sally engulfed her with a warm hug that she would only get from Sally Jackson-Bolfis.

"Hay Sally." Annabeth returned the hug. "Oh, and Sally, do you want this back?" Handing her the keys to her apartment.

"Oh, you still have those," surprised, "then, keep it, you're family Annabeth. Why didn't you come in with those keys instead of knocking?" Sally was just asking out of curious, not accusing.

"Um… I find it not nice to intrude after not visiting for a long time, so I thought if I used the keys I would be like a burglar, and I felt like I was intruding." She answered quite awkwardly. Sally nodded in response, "hey, don't feel intruding, you're not interrupting anything. In fact if you came in with those keys it would be a surprise to me, and I always loved your visit as a surprise." Sally was still that sweet, caring lady that Annabeth remembered, and admired.

"Come on in, Annabeth. Oh, and I see that you brought Colli with you." Sally noted and went up to pet Colli. Colli accepted it happily, wiggling her tails when she saw another figure running towards her.

"Tyson!" Annabeth exclaimed with a mix of surprise in her voice. It had been a couple of years since Annabeth had seen Tyson, she practically knew him before even he was born, she was like another sibling to Tyson.

Tyson ran up and hugged Colli, Collie licked him back in return. Even though Tyson had grown up, and bigger over these years, but he would still be shorter than Colli if she stood up on her back feet. "Tyson Bolfis, greet the human first." Sally said at the back, in a serious voice, but she was trying hard to put on a stern face to tell Tyson that she was serious.

"Hey Annabeth!" Tyson was five now, he was tall amongst all other five year olds, but still till Annabeth's legs, because Annabeth was just too tall. Yet again, her friends were tall as well, so it didn't really matter. "Hey Ty!" Calling his old nickname that only Percy and Annabeth used. Ruffling his hair, Annabeth led him in to the house with Colli following behind.

In the kitchen, Paul was reading a book, when Annabeth entered, he looked up, eyes slightly widened in surprise and happiness.

"What a surprise Annabeth!" He stood up and surprisingly gave Annabeth a hug. "Hey Paul." Annabeth greeted in return.

"So what brings you here?" Paul asked eagerly.

Annabeth smiled slightly, it was a tight smile, because she didn't know if the Jackson-Bolfis had know the real reason of her break up with Percy. Thankfully, only Sally noticed, and she made a mental note to ask her privately later.

"Um, so I came for several reasons, but mainly, I just wanted to pay a visit after god knows how long," she said the last few words dramatically, making Sally and Paul laugh. "As you may know, I was in a band with Thalia and Nico, it's called The Blender." Both nodded. "And we are going on tour in about two days, and tomorrow we are going to have an interview one last time before we go on tour. Since we are not famous enough, we can only afford a tour in America, and that's beside the topic. So today I brought Colli here is because I wanted to ask you to look after her while I'm gone, because I think this is the second most comfortable or familiar place to Colli. So, if it isn't too much to ask, I will be getting her stuff from the door."

"Oh, no, Annabeth, it won't be too much to ask, you and Colli are always welcomed here, you two are family to us, and both of you can stay whenever you want." Sally said, smiling. It was warm and sweet, Annabeth just wish she had parents like her.

"Also, before I forget." Annabeth said suddenly. "Our first album is out, and I would like to give you a copy, it had all three of the name signed on it. It's a CD. It's also an apology from me for not visiting for five years." She handed Sally a bag, Sally was about to say something, but Annabeth started first. "And inside that bag, there is also tickets for all my concerts in this tour. I don't mind if it's too far and you can't make it. I just wanted to give this to you as a thank you, for looking after my dog." Annabeth stood up ready to leave.

"Wow, Annabeth, thank you! You really don't have to be like this. You really don't have to apologize and thank me, I know that your busy with your career, and I'm really thankful that you payed a visit. Percy had only called me during these five years. The last time I saw him in person was at graduation." Annabeth's face darkened a little, and soon recovered and hoped that Sally wouldn't notice, but she did. "Oh, let me give you some cookies that I just baked." She noticed Annabeth's discomfort, and tried to say something happier.

"Oh, no, no, it's fine Sally, that would be too much, really." But Sally pushed the cookies into her hand. "Thank you Sally. That's too much already. Thank you. I have to go back and prepare for tomorrow, sorry I can't stay longer. Bye." She turned around to leave.

"Annabeth, let me walk you to the door." Sally followed. Paul stood up and waved at Annabeth, in which she waved back.

At the door, Sally stopped Annabeth, and her face full of worry. "What happened between you and Percy? I didn't see you with him at graduation, and you left early." It was not the questioning tone that Sally presented to Annabeth, but it was the tone that a worried mother would give to her child. Annabeth's face saddened.

"Um…" She looked down, and paused a bit, then looked up, "it's really not my place to explain this. Look, the version from my point of view might not be the whole truth, and it might be invalid." She said softly, "You can ask Percy, he knows the whole truth, and I trust him to tell you the real thing. I believe he would tell you if you asked and if he's ready he will tell you. I don't think my version would help much. I'm sorry Sally. Really." Her voice croaked at the end, she choked back tears that were threatening to spill out. She hadn't been crying over this for a long time, she thought she was over this five years ago, but when she stood in front of Sally thinking back at what happened, she still couldn't hold it. She closed her eyes. A drop of tear rolled down her cheek, she bit her bottom lip to stop her from sobs. She took a deep breath, and opened her teary eyes, she didn't mind that she had ruined her makeup. She saw Sally coming towards her, and raised a hand to wipe her tear and her ruined makeup for her. Sally hugged her one last time before Annabeth went out the door.

Colli was having fun with Tyson in the living room, they didn't notice Annabeth's departure. Sally slowly closed the door, and she turned around. ⎡Both of them had changed, and now I know why Annabeth had changed her style.⎦ She thought with a sigh, and walked back to the kitchen. A confused Paul looked up at her, but she waved him off.

Not long after Annabeth left, the door opened again. There stood the one and only hollywood heartthrob, Percy Jackson.

"Mom?" He shouted right after he opened the door. What shocked him the most was the scene he saw in front of him in the living from. He froze, even when his mom came to him. He didn't know what to think or what to do, he just stood their with one hand on the door handle staring at Colli and Tyson with a blank face.

What hit him the most was not Tyson, it was Colli, because Colli's existence meant that Annabeth had came. "Percy?" His mom's worried voice cut through his thoughts. He tried to put on a happy face, but Sally saw through it already.

"Yes, Annabeth came." Sally said in a sympathetic voice. "She came to drop Colli off because she is going on tour and she can't look after her."

Percy wasn't even that excited to see a grown up Tyson. He silently followed Sally to the kitchen, where on the table, stood the paper bag that belonged to The Blender. Paul nodded to Percy, which Percy didn't really noticed. His eyes were fixed on that paper bag. Sally motioned Paul to go and give them some space, Paul went.

"Percy?" Sally waved a hand in front of her son.

"Yea?" He looked up, with guilt and sadness in his eyes.

Instead of Sally asking, he spoke first. "What did she say when she came?" He asked softly. Percy didn't even dare to say her name, it hurts too much.

Sally picked up the bag on the table and pushed it in front of Percy. "She said to give you this." Percy's head snapped up, eyes widened, then back to normal. "No, she hates me now, why would she give me something, especially something from her band?"

Sally smiled gently, "so you did keep track of what she does as best as you could didn't you. Not over her?" "Never will be." Murmured Percy with his head back down staring at the table. Sally continued in a soothing and gentle voice.

"Percy," she waited for him to look up, "Annabeth doesn't hate you, she still loves you." Percy's head snapped up once again, and started to protest, but was shushed by her mom. "She still has the keys to both your own apartment and this apartment, she kept it all these years. She dropped off Colli here because she still considered us as family, she still trusts us with everything. She still cared about you. When she gave me this bag, she said it was for me, but I know she wish that you would have it. Inside has her first album and all her tickets to every concerts of her tour. She had signed every ticket, and she had reserved the best seat for us. She claimed the CD to be her apology for not visiting for five years, and the tickets as a thank you for looking after Colli. All that was her excuse to give you these. I know that she wanted you to go. She won't show it, but I could tell, because she chose us over everything else, she could've just gave Colli to a pet hotel and stayed at home to prepare for her interview tomorrow and her tour in two days, but instead, she came to us. She didn't stay long because I think the main reason is because she is afraid to see you.

Before she left, I asked her what happened between you two," Percy winced at that thought, but shut his eyes to prevent the tears from overflowing. "She said she trust you to give me the right and real explanation, and her information might have not been valid because she had not know the whole thing. See, Percy, she still has faith in you, and she still trusts you. So tell me, what happened?"

Percy buried his face in his palm. Sally waited patiently for Percy to calm down and started talking. When he talked, he kept rubbing his right thumb, because that was where Annabeth's name in Greek was tattooed. Thankfully, tattoos don't wear off, so even when he rubbed it, it wouldn't change anything.

After what seemed like a painful narration of what really happened. Sally pushed the bag close to Percy, and said three words. "Talk to her." To Sally, this seemed like a simple misunderstanding. Maybe because she didn't know what high school or college nowadays were like, but she knew that Annabeth was a rational person, and she would understand.

* * *

In a bar, more specifically the bar where Piper sings at. Walked in a blonde girl with shades on her eyes. She wore all black, and she sat on a stool next to the bar table. Ordered a random drink, and started sipping it. Listening to Piper's voice. It was in the middle of the song she wrote herself, called 'Royals' **(A/N: Let's just pretend she wrote this song, I know it's by Lorde)**. Annabeth wasn't listening at first, but she found her voice quite unique. She had always liked mid-range singers, which she was one of them. Soon she wanted to meet that girl on stage. She went to find the manager. Much to her surprise, the manager was talking to a man, and both of them seemed utterly familiar. The manager gave the man a kiss and turned around.

Soon something snapped in her mind. Back at the party, that was the girl who she saw on Percy, it was Calypso. She also remembered Calypso and Leo were dating before they graduated, and Calypso was not that kind of person who would just go around and sleep with hot guys. She was sure that that guy Calypso just kissed was Leo. Her eyes widened at the thought. She never thought Calypso would be at a club, let along a manager here. She shook that away. That was not her main aim at this point.

"Calypso!" Annabeth shouted over the noise, and luckily Calypso heard it and turned around. Eyes widened with surprise written all over her face, but soon turned into guilt. Leo turned around too, and eyes widened with surprise. He knew what happened, and he blamed Calypso for doing that. When he got together with Calypso, his friendship with Annabeth had ended, and Percy distanced him gradually along with Jason. He lost three friendships in exchange with one relationship with Calypso. He didn't meet Annabeth's eyes, because he still feared her. Her eyes still somewhat haunted him whenever he looked at them.

"Annabeth. Hi. I didn't know I would see you here. Look, I'm sorry for that night, I'm sorry for what happened —" Calypso started to apologize, but was cut of by Annabeth. "Calypso, I don't feel very forgiven right this moment nor today, you will be forgiven in the future after I listened to your explanation, but right now, I don't feel like forgiving anyone. I called you to ask for that girl on stage, I wanna talk to her after her performance. Please inform her to find me at the bar near the entrance. Thank you." She said and turned towards Leo, "Valdez." She addressed him with a nod, and she turned away and walked back to the stool she was sitting on earlier, and sipping her wine. Leo and Calypso were both a bit taken aback at Annabeth's sudden action.

After Piper finished her last song, she went down stage. Not long after, she appeared next to Annabeth, on the stool next to her.

"Piper McLean. No relation to Tristan" Annabeth nodded. Piper stuck out her hand towards Annabeth.

"Annabeth Chase." Annabeth shook Piper's hand, and turned back towards her drink. Piper gasped.

* * *

 **A/N: Whoo, there's a lot of line break here, never thought it would be this much. I hope the line breaks didn't effect your reading. You like line breaks? Sucka! Cuz I don't. Anyways, enough talking (I actually didn't talk much), please review! Next chapter would be up if I got enough reviews and comments. Wait till I'm satisfied. *insert wink***


	4. Four

The Club where Piper McLean worked at

"What?" Annabeth asked, slowly turning her head back to face Piper. Piper gasped not because she met the famous young rockstar, but because she knew Annabeth's background and bits of romance histories. To Piper, this was the Annabeth Chase, the one whose name was forbade to be mentioned at home.

"Nothing, it's just… No, it's fine." Piper said hesitantly, deciding against her thought to tell Annabeth who her boyfriend was. "What did you want me for?"

"You know who I am don't you?" Piper nodded. "The lead singer of The Blender." Piper said. Annabeth nodded. Since she was at a club, she darkened her makeup, and put on the black lipstick. Her eyeliner was all black, and it was thick around her eyes.

Annabeth turned to face the front. She closed her eyes. All her eyelid was covered with black makeup, her eye lash were very long thanks to the mascara. She raised her cocktail to her lips. Her cocktail was sea-green, just like Percy's eyes. Piper noticed the color of the cocktail, and this also confirmed her hypothesis on Annabeth's feeling towards Percy Jackson.

Piper waited patiently for Annabeth to keep talking. She was still looking at Annabeth.

"Ever went on tour?" Annabeth asked, without even looking at Piper.

Piper shook her head, "nah, people don't know me, only the people who constantly come to this bar knew me, other than that, no one does."

"Shame." Annabeth shook her head with a sigh. "You're coming with me." She smiled. After a little pause, she told Piper, this time looking at her. Standing up, she handed Piper a piece of paper with her number on it, "text me your answer Pipes, you have a talent, looking forward to share a stage with you." Annabeth patted the awe struck Piper.

Looking at the retreating figure of Annabeth Chase, and then back at her now finished drink, and the number in front of her, with Annabeth's signature on it. Annabeth had always been her idol, and she secretly admired her. She liked her makeup, she thought it suited her, and she didn't think Annabeth's makeup was her type. Piper wore makeup, she was more of a romantic goth characteristic and looks. Her makeup were thin, a mascara, grey eyeliner, her makeup only made her eyes looked deep, but it was not those thick ones as Annabeth's.

Annabeth went out as if nothing happened. Piper stayed for longer. She finished her drink slowly, thinking at what Annabeth had told her, she was surprised that a famous rock star would come to her and invite her to her tour. She was extremely surprised by Annabeth's actions. Thinking that it was Annabeth, she thought of Percy, and what he would feel if she went on tour with Annabeth.

It was late already. New York City was still busy with cars and most shops were still opened with customers. Annabeth arrived home late, she was far from drunk, not even tipsy after that cocktail, thanks to the practice she'd done with Percy few years ago. She thought about tomorrow's interview, she decided to put on makeups depending on her mood tomorrow. She knew that she could get Piper's answer tonight, so she waited. She didn't need to think or plan anything about her interview and tour. She was not with herself, she had her bandmates, who also happened to be her best friends.

Percy Jackson's apartment

Piper came home super hyper. Jason looked at her with confusion all written in his eyes and face. "You would never guessed that Jason. Do you know who I met? You would not believe me!" She shouted and practically flung herself at Jason. Jason stumbled back a little, but still gained his posture, luckily Piper was light enough to not make him fell to his ass.

"Slow down, Pipes." Jason said as he put her down, and closed the door behind him.

"Okay. Is Jackson home?" Piper asked as if she stole something from Percy and was about to tell Jason.

"No, Pipes are you okay? You seemed —"

"High. I know. I swear I didn't take drugs and I didn't drink too much, I only drank a tin bottle of bear, that's all I swear. You'd never guess who I met there though."

"Okay, who?" Jason wasn't really sure if Piper was real fine, or just because she took too much sugar or something.

"I met Annabeth Chase!" **(A/N: Piper does not act like a fangirl)**

Sally Jackson's apartment

"Percy, Paul and I had a date tonight, are you sure you want to stay the night? I suggest you go back to your place, because we will be coming back late, and Tyson is going to Ella's for a sleepover."

"No, mom it's fine, I will stay and look after Colli."

"Okay, but just stay safe, and don't wait up."

"Yea, bye mom. Enjoy tonight. You too, Paul." Percy stood next to the door, waving at his mom and step-dad. He closed the door behind him, leaning against the now closed door, he sighed, and looked down to find Colli looking at him with her blue grey eyes with curiosity. He bent down and hugged Colli.

The house was now his and Colli's.

He hugged Colli and let the tears rolled down his cheeks. Stroking Colli's soft fur on her neck. This was the closest he could get with Annabeth right this moment. With his hand still stroking Colli absently, he closed his eyes. Tears kept coming out of his eyes. He put his hand on his face, and slid down on the floor in front of the couch. Colli followed, wagging her tail absently. She looked at Percy in concern. To her, Percy was like her other owner other than Annabeth. She went up and snuggled closer to him trying to comfort him. Memories of Annabeth kept swirling back into his mind when he closed his eyes, and he didn't deject it this time, he let his mind think back to when he and Annabeth were in a perfect relationship. He then thought about the reason they separated. He regret accepting the punches from the Stolls, and regret not listening to Annabeth in the first place. He dragged Annabeth there just to witness him making out with another girl, a girl who he didn't even know the name of. He knew this would be his biggest mistake he'd ever made in his whole life, and he would do anything to have Annabeth back beside him, in his arms.

* * *

Annabeth Chase's Apartment

Annabeth opened the door of her apartment.

"Guys, we're going to have a visitor." She shouted.

"When?" Thalia and Nico asked at the same time, rushing to the front door from different places. One from the kitchen another from his own room.

"You'll see." She smirked and walked straight to her room.

"C'mon!" Nico groaned. He knew Annabeth perfectly well. He knew what she was up to, and hated it, because him, a very impatient guy, had to wait for quite some time to see Annabeth's 'surprise'.

"Annie! Just tell us when?" No response, "fine, tell us where?"

"Here!" That was all they got out from Annabeth on the topic of visitor.

Annabeth wasn't in a really great mood. She knew who Piper was, and she also knew where Piper lives, and who she was with. She felt like she was a criminal mastermind. She knew everything about her, yet, Piper knew none about Annabeth. The only person that seemed to be know everything about Annabeth was Percy. He knew where she lived, he knew what she was going to do, and he also knew some of her plans. Of course, Sally had told him everything, and since they were both women, she knew Annabeth's motives in her each move. It was like playing chess, but instead of been the opponent, Sally was the commentator, and she had analyzed Annabeth's every move in the most precise way.

Annabeth sat on the chair next to her desk, her laptop opened with her dreamed house design opened. She was about to work on them, but decided against it. She closed the window, and opened another one, it was the studio she was designing. She hoped that one day, she would be able to get her own studio, and she could already started to perceive the hint that her manager was giving out, her manager had already hinted in certain ways that they would be able to get their own studio, hopefully after this tour if they had enough money. So she started to design it. She thought if they couldn't afford a studio, then it would be fine if it was just a design. She would still be fine if her designed studio wouldn't be used, because designing was just a hobby of hers.

Her phone buzzed beside her. Showing an unknown number:

 _My Answer: YES_

This was all she got. Annabeth clutched her phone tight, and closed her eyes, she leant back to the chair, a smile crept up to Annabeth's face. She was satisfied. She knew this was going to be the answer. She just knew it because of her excellent mind reading skills.

 _Come 5pm Tmr_

That was her reply to Piper's text. She knew Piper would do anything to make sure that she didn't miss out this perfect opportunity. Tomorrow five in the afternoon was just sometime after their interview.

Percy Jackson's Apartment

"You do know how hurt Percy would be if he knew that right?" Jason said cautiously after Piper excitedly finished her story about how she had met Annabeth, and how she had got the opportunity to go on tour with The Blender. And also telling Jason that she had to ask Percy for Annabeth's address.

Piper nodded at Jason's worried response. "Yea, I do know that. But it's Annabeth we are talking about, I don't think she would give me her address. She thought I was smart enough. I think, at least."

Considering that Percy would probably stay the night at his moms, they decided to tell him tomorrow morning.

* * *

Sally Jackson's Apartment

Percy did not went back his apartment the next morning. He thought maybe giving Jason and Piper some couple time, and himself some alone time. He would admit that seeing Jason and Piper all lovey-dovey hurts, but couldn't blame them can he, he once was like that with Annabeth, but he lost his chance. Percy knew that Annabeth would be interviewed, and he would see her on TV. He was still debating whether he should be attending her concerts or not. He really wanted to see her in person, but he was not sure if she wanted to.

He turned on the television, and motioned Colli to come sit with him. Colli came up and put her head on Percy's thigh, Percy was resting his hand on her fur, stroking it gently sometimes.

"Hey Nina." Thalia greeted the host of that interview.

"Hey Thalia, Annabeth, and Nico."

They seated. Annabeth was in between Thalia and Nico on the couch. Seemed like her mood was good, because her thick eyeliner included the color blue. Much to Percy's surprise. Annabeth's lipstick was maroon, it was a really dark maroon color though, near black, but you could still distinct red from it.

"So, we got questions from fans and I had collected the ones that were asked the most frequent." The Blender all nodded in agreement. "Starting with the most frequent question, who are your celebrity crushes?"

"Whoa, really. Hmm… Let me think. Mine would probably be Benedict Cumberbatch Chace Crawford."

"Interesting choice, Annabeth."

"Wow, Annie, never knew you would have a celebrity crush." Thalia smiled teasingly at Annabeth, in return Annabeth smirked. "What about yours than, Thals, I heard that you had quite a lot of celebrity crush, and correct me if I'm wrong, you also admire Ruby Rose. Am I right?" Annabeth teased back.

Thalia glared at the now innocent looking Annabeth. "My celebrity crush is, drum roll, Chace Crawford!"

"Ooo, I thought it was Zac Efron." Nico said in a mocking tone, and that earned a punch from Thalia on the shoulder. "Manners Thals." Muttered Annabeth, but people still heard that faintly.

"Mine would be Ryan Reynolds. Sorry not a fan of female celebs." Nico raised his hands in surrender.

"Yep, I know you, Nico. I saw that video you guys posted recently. Everyone was so surprised by that, you said that you are gay. You shocked all of us. Speaking of the video, you promised that you would tell us the meaning of your band name and why you form this band."

"Uh huh. We did promise that. So our band name 'The Blender', we called that because all three of us liked dark clothes, and Nico and I are goths. Although Nico would never agree, but he is like an emo goth. And Thalia here is somewhat like a Punk. Also Blender was one of The Pretty Reckless's song's name. We were thinking of calling 'The Blonde Rebellion', but then because it was a The Pretty Reckless song, so we decided against it, and we settled with 'The Blender' because it was like a goth blender, sort of. We all wear dark clothes and sometimes leather jackets, just different in small details. Also we sing all kinds of blues, mainly alternative rock and heavy metal, but they are all included in blues. So yea, I think that explains it." Annabeth answered.

"Why did we form this band. The short story would be because we felt like it, all three of us don't really want to start something related with our major in college, and we had once won an award in a talent show, so we decided to make it real, and actually form a band. It turned out pretty successful." Thalia explained happily.

"How about the long story?" Nina asked.

"The long story would take too long, and it includes some personal sensations." Annabeth quickly answered, not wanting to get into it more.

Percy Jackson's Apartment

 _Jackson u coming back? — J.G._

Jason hit send. This was probably the fifth text he had sent to Percy since this morning he woke up. He never knew Percy would stayed that long in his moms. Another part of him told him that he would probably be watching the interview with The Blender, since Annabeth Chase was on it.

Piper glanced at the clock, it was already nearly noon, they should be wrapping up their interview, and if she remembered correctly, they would have a performance after their interview. She turned on the TV, and just like she thought, she heard the last sentence.

"And before we start our performance, I would like to announce that we are going to have a surprise in the tour. Hope to see you their."

"We do?" Asked Nico and Thalia, both really puzzled. Annabeth only nodded. Then, commercials started, they were probably preparing for their performance.

"Jason, you watching The Blender perform?" Piper shouted to the kitchen.

"Nope. Can you come here for a sec Pipes?" Piper grumbled, but went anyway, she left the TV turned on, and the music started not long after she left to Jason's room.

Jason closed the door, and the sound of the TV vanished.

"What do you want?" Piper asked.

"How would you ask Percy? It's gonna hurt."

"Then I'm going to tell him that he can go to the concerts because I am probably the surprise Annabeth is talking about."

"No, Piper, don't make assumptions when you are not sure of it."

"Fine, then you ask."

Just then, they heard a deep voice shouted, "I'm home! People?"

"Okay, seems like we had been here for too long. The interview was over minutes ago." Jason sighed. They both walked out.

"Whoa, what did you two do inside their, doors locked?" Percy pointed to Jason and wiggled his eyebrows. Jason blushed, although they did nothing that was not supposed to be seen.

Piper went up to Percy and whispered something in his ears. Percy's face immediately darkened. "Shouldn't have come back." He sighed. "But yet again, I should be getting over her." He said to himself. He pulled out his hand, "phone." He said to Piper, in which Piper tossed to him. Not even after a blink, Percy stretched out his hand and put it in Piper's direction.

"Done?" Piper asked in disbelieve. "You know he knows her address better than his own." Jason input. Percy grimaced at the thought, however, it was true.

"You shouldn't you know." Piper said.

"Talking to me?" Percy asked, Piper nodded. "Shouldn't what?"

"Shouldn't be moving on."

"Why?"

"Because she missed you. She's still thinking about you all the time."

And with that, Piper turned to the door and walked out, leaving Percy deep in thoughts, and an awkward standing Jason.

Annabeth Chase's Apartment

The door bell rang at five sharp. Thalia opened the door. When she saw Piper, her face lit up, and gave her a bear hug. Piper was startled and didn't know what to do, she didn't respond nor say anything, she froze. Never had a stranger ran up and hug her this hard.

"Welcome Piper McLean." Thalia said as she released Piper, and bowed at her dramatically. Piper was more confused.

"Daughter of Tristan McLean. I see." Nico continued. "Annabeth, you have good tastes." Turning towards Annabeth who was watching the show in the middle of the hallway looking amused, her lip twirled upwards a little when Nico addressed this to her, and nodded knowingly.

"You told them 'bout me?" Piper asked Annabeth. Annabeth shook her head, but smiled reassuringly at Piper. "Not a word Pipes."

Piper was seriously ready to turn her heal and runaway.

"I wouldn't know you if it wasn't my younger brother." Piper looked perplexed. "Your boyfriend," Nico 'translated', "is Thalia's younger twin brother."

"Okay, but how come Jason never told me he had a sister?"

"Oh, because we don't get along. But even if we never got along, I'm still curious about his love life. Therefore, your entering to his life wouldn't be outta my sight. Piper." Piper was rethinking who they were, she thought maybe she had walked into the wrong room. They knew her all too well, and yet, she knew nothing about them, other than they were The Blender and they were about to go on tour, nothing else, nothing personal.

"Now, Thals, Nico stop scaring her. Let her in. And Piper, you didn't come to the wrong place, we were not some gang, you can trust us. We know about you that much because of your boyfriend's best friend, a.k.a., roommate, go thank him for making him all notable around the press and hollywood." Gesturing Piper to sit down on the couch, the couch was pretty low, it was similar height with the bean bags, which the three sat on.

"Why didn't you give me your address? You know how hurt —" Piper was cut off by Annabeth because Annabeth didn't want to hear Percy's name, nor anything addressing to him.

"Why doesn't matter Piper, what matters is that you came." Annabeth's tone made it pretty clear that she was done with this address topic. "Now, for the serious matter. Piper, I invited you to our tour because when I heard you sing in that club, I knew that you would fit right into our band, and you would be our backup singer and out guitar player —"

"How did you know that I play guitar?" Piper had no idea what were on their minds, she couldn't follow, mainly because she knew nothing about them. It was sort of forbidden in where she lived to talk about The Blender, especially the lead singer.

"Oh we have our ways, get used to it Pipes." Thalia said dramatically, dragging the voice on purpose. Which caused Annabeth stifling a laugh, and Nico cleared his throat to not make him smile.

"O Kay?" Piper was unsure of what to do.

"Guys let's just stop making her uncomfortable shall we?" Annabeth said effectively shutting up Thalia. "Okay, back to the topic. Let's just make it brief. When you got home pack up and meet us here tomorrow morning. You're coming with us on tour, you will be our surprise we announced and you will be featuring our song, and we will be singing yours too. By the way, I liked that 'Royals' you sung at the club yesterday night." Annabeth smiled friendly at her. Standing up. "Wanna stay longer Pipes?" Piper nodded, "yea okay, staying a bit won't hurt I guess."

"You went to Juilliard." This came out more like a statement rather than a question from Nico.

"Yea? How did you know?" Piper was unsure, like really unsure.

"I have friends their."

"Name?"

"Reyna."

"She graduated two years before I did."

"I know, we're the same age." Annabeth shrugged.

"Oh. Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Thalia thought that was the end of conversation, but, nope, Piper asked.

"Why did you ask me?"

"No, just remembering something hilarious." And with that, Thalia started laughing.

"What?" Piper again, was unknown.

"Reyna was hitting on Jason." Annabeth informed calmly and tried to suppress her smile.

"Huh? Really?"

"Oh and Annie, she hit on your boyfriend too."

"Ex, and yea, that was so funny. When she knew that Jason had an eye on you, she stopped and moved onto Percy, just to realize that Percy was taken." She laughed a bit.

"Aren't we like not suppose to be talking about him?" Piper said 'him' in a different way hinting that it referred to Percy.

Annabeth's face slightly darkened. "It's fine." Annabeth let out a long sigh. "The past is the past, I should be getting over him anyways, it's been five years already." She shook her head in disbelief that five years had passed since they graduated, and since her heart was shattered completely.

"Why do you two kept saying that you should move on when you both still think about each other and also have feelings for each other?" Piper blurted out. It was a question she had ever since she first met Annabeth at the bar.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm not a very forgiving person? Or maybe I'm just not ready for his explanation. I mean, I don't really know who to blame, because I know that Percy was not that kind of person."

"I'm mean you should try to listen to him explain, and I think you missed him more than you blame him, so I think you had already forgiven him, but you just hadn't realize it or you just don't have an explanation for yourself. My suggestion is to talk to him. This tour is a pretty good opportunity."

"I knew you would be a romance expert when I first lay my eyes on you Piper." Annabeth chuckled. "Now, enough about my love life."

"Then shall we practice a bit if you want me to feature in your songs. I mean I had listened to all your new songs, but I just don't know what to do?"

"You brought our album? Never thought Jason would be a fan of ours." Thalia muttered to her own the last few words.

"Oh, no, uh —" Piper didn't want to mention Percy, so she didn't know how to respond to that question, and she was saved by the bell, or maybe the bell was Annabeth. Annabeth knew exactly who had their album and she didn't want to say it.

"Oh, it's fine, that doesn't really matter. And yea, we should probably practice a bit and see what we will do, since all this is a bit in a rush." Annabeth declared in a defeated tone.

* * *

 **A/N: Review, favorite, follow. Hope you liked this chapter.**

 **Questions: Who is your OTP in PJO? Who do you ship, Thaluke? Or Thalico?**


	5. Five

**A/N: Before I start this chapter, I just want to notify you that there's a poll in my profile, and if you had read my other stories, you can go vote on it, and if you just purely wanted to vote but you had never read any of my stories, feel free to go. I don't mind. As long as I got some votes. This is all I asked, not much I hope.**

* * *

Ever since Annabeth's debut performance at their first interview, Percy was not the same. He had finally located his Wise Girl after five long years of finding. He knew that they didn't move away. Percy had been the hollywood heartthrob ever since he entered the hollywood circle. He had always been spotted with different women, but they never had anything sexual between them, and not much physical contact, because Percy was just using these women. He was been the 'player', but most young girls fell for this act. They thought he would be affectionate, yet, the result wasn't anything like that when they got into the web. Percy never kissed them on the lips, it was only the cheeks. They had never went on dates because Percy ended their so-called relationship leaving the girl hanging. The most affectionate thing he had ever done was probably hugging them or holding their hand in public.

Ever since Annabeth's band risen to fame, he lowered his level of interest by in the press. He tried to stop the 'bad boy' image he had created amongst hollywood and the press. The press had bothered him less, because he didn't really went out in public nor went on audition films. He hoped that Annabeth didn't believed his 'bad boy' act, and still hoped a chance with Annabeth.

When he knew that Piper would be their guest, aka surprise on their tour, he decided to use all the tickets Annabeth had provided.

* * *

Since Jason didn't have any tickets, he had to wait inside the backstage as a family to Piper. Percy entered his VIP seat using the ticket Annabeth gave him. He tried to attract as little as attention as possible, he wore sunglasses, and he had his collar up to his neck so that his mouth was covered up.

People settled down eventually, and the stadium was filled with chattering. Piper was preparing with The Blender, and so Jason was texting Percy.

 _Can you tell Pipes to inform us when it comes to their last song? Wanna meet her. -P.J._

 _Yea, think so. I'll tell her now. Try to enjoy the show Perce. -J.G._

Percy had planned to meet Annabeth and try to talk to her like her mother had said. He seriously hoped that Annabeth would take it as a simple misunderstanding. He bit back a curse, he wanna cuss himself because he was still that coward who just could not write or say her name out loud. After five years, he still couldn't do that.

Jason was sitting on one of the chairs in the backstage. He was able to witness the full preparation process of the band. He was only there for Piper, and not Thalia. Thalia thinks he was too strict with rules and not rebel enough when he was supposed to be, he didn't stood up to his dad like Thalia did out of respect he thought he should pay. Zeus hadn't gone after his ass after he moved out of the apartment and lived with Percy in high school. He was once rebel, but not as much as Thalia. He went to parties and hook up with girls, but never really dated anyone. He remembered Reyna from Juilliard, whenever he went there to see Piper, Reyna would come and welcome him. Reyna wasn't like those girls who were constantly fangirling over him because of his looks. They were great friends and Reyna knew to suppress her feelings.

The concert started just as they planned.

"New York City! Welcome to our very first station during our very first tour!" Annabeth shouted to the mic. The crowed erupted with applause and whistles and shouts.

"We will sing five songs, and if we have time, we will have you ask us questions and maybe sign some autographs?" Thalia shouted the last part.

"Shall we start?" The crowed cheered when Annabeth yelled into the microphone.

The guitar started, it was strapped across Annabeth's shoulder, like the time on their debut performance.

 _A.C. —_

 _The night is when, the ghosts all come out_

 _Playing with my head, spin it all around_

 _This room is like a prison cell, I'm all by myself_

 _I'm waiting for my friend to come and break me out_

Annabeth started to sing. People started to stand up on chairs and stuff just to take a better look at them, and they started to cheer.

During the break of this verse and the next one, she shouted into the mic.

"READY FOR THE SURPRISE?" The cheer went louder, it was probably the loudest, because you couldn't hear shit even if that person's ear was right next to your vocal cord.

 _P.M. —_

 _You left me today lying on the floor_

Just then it came out of a different voice. Piper McLean, their surprise came out from the back stage with a mic. Piper's entrance captured all the attention, they didn't even notice Annabeth taking off her guitar, and put in on the stand near the speaker. Annabeth started to walk back to the front stage and took off the mic from the stand.

 _A.C. —_

 _I wanted you to stay, it seems you wanted it more_

 _This bed is like a prison cell, cause I'm all by myself_

 _Still waiting for my friend to come and break me out_

While Annabeth sang taking back the attention, Piper went to put the electric guitar on her, and started playing. Piper walked to the stand next to Annabeth but slightly deeper to the stage, and started playing and singing harmonic into the mic in front of her to match Annabeth's voice and also the background music. That verse was long and slow.

 _A.C. & P.M. —_

 _And there's stone cold bars on my door for this stone cold heart_

They started with this slow song because they wanted to welcome Piper on stage like a friend, and also this song was called 'Waiting For A Friend', so it fitted pretty well. Piper and Annabeth sang this very short chores together. Then Annabeth continued with Piper strumming on the guitar.

 _Some people say life is like a ride_

 _Take it day by day, never knowing why_

 _My head is like a prison cell, I'm all by myself_

 _I'm waiting for my friend to come and break me out_

 _Still waiting for my friend to come and break me out_

The song finished slowly, and the crowed slowly erupted to applause and shouts. That song was the slowest and quietest and it probably was going to be the only song that the fans were that quiet just to listen to the song. Although Percy had the whole album, but he still cherished Annabeth's voice, he really wished he could record it if the fans were not that loud. He knew that Annabeth would be scanning the crowd while she sung, and he knew that his appearance might effect her. Knowing Annabeth, she would be doing a mental debate in her mind about how to feel about his appearance on her concert, because he knew that Annabeth wanted him to come but at the same time she didn't want to see him.

"Let's welcome our surprise officially, shall we?" Annabeth said motioned for Piper to step forward. "Whata ya think?" The crowed cheered and the cheer only died a little while, because Annabeth said, "The next song was an original written by our very own Piper McLean. It's called Royals. Ready?" The crowed continued to cheer and shout in their top of their lungs. This was probably what most of the rock concerts were like. There music were loud, and it was loud enough to voice over the crowed. Those kind of crowed would only ever fit rock bands.

 _I've never seen a diamond in the flesh_

 _I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies_

 _And I'm not proud of my address_

 _In the torn up town, no post code envy_

 _— P.M._

Piper started with her very own voice. It was different from Annabeth's but it could be mended with Annabeth's easily. Annabeth was still standing behind her own mic stand with her mic on it. Piper took of the mic and started to walk towards Annabeth.

 _But every song's like:_

 _Gold teeth_

 _Grey Goose_

 _Tripping in the bathroom_

 _Bloodstains_

 _Ball gowns_

 _Trashing the hotel room_

 _— A.C._

Annabeth started to sing, she took off her mic too, and walking slowly towards Piper. While Annabeth sang, she shook her hair at every beat when.

 _We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams_

Both of them sang it together with their heads touching slightly in the middle. Annabeth on the right with the mic in her right hand and leaning towards Piper, and Piper on the left with the mic in her left hand leaning towards Annabeth, there head touched slightly in the middle, and they bent forward together as they sang the word 'Cadillacs'. The audience started to clap along the beat as if it were to help their song.

 _But everybody's like:_

 _Crystal_

 _Maybach_

 _Diamonds on your timepiece_

 _Jet planes_

 _Islands_

 _Tigers on a gold leash_

 _— A.C._

Once again, Annabeth sung it with her shaking her long blond hair, making it messier than it already was. This time, she also played with the stand that was supposed to hold her mic that was in her hand. She swung it left to right and pushing it to the side and step forward to sing the last phrase.

 _We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair_

They sang it together, and this time they pushed each other away when singing the last part, as in disgust.

 _And we'll never be royals (royals)_

 _It don't run in our blood_

 _That kind of lux just ain't for us, we crave a different kind of buzz_

 _Let me be your ruler (ruler)_

 _You can call me queen bee_

 _And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule_

 _Let me live that fantasy_

 _— P.M._

Piper sung it perfectly in her own style, and Annabeth did the backup vocal pretty damn well. They fitted perfectly together.

Percy would never thought that a person like Annabeth who had had stage fright like forever would be singing in front this many people and even doing dance moves with Piper very smoothly. He knew that they hadn't been practicing for long, and so was impressed by Piper and Annabeth's tacit performance. He was now that hollywood heartthrob, and thinking about it made him felt like he was wasted. He was known for being strong and loyal to his friends and family, yet what the press had presented him as was some wasted brat, a bastard, a womanizer, a player. God dammit, why did he turned to that kind of man that he loathed ever since he was born. Staring at Annabeth's moving figure, he drifted into his deep thoughts about how ruined he had became. He hadn't know that Annabeth had finished Piper's song.

The next song started unexpected, because Annabeth didn't say anything in between, the music just started. But this song seemed to have another meaning behind it, because Annabeth had found Percy and was staring right into him. Percy didn't dare meet her eyes, he knew he would have guilt washing all over him, and he didn't want to effect Annabeth's performance.

 _Take me I'm alive_

 _Never was a girl with a wicked mind_

 _But everything looks better when the sun goes down_

Annabeth started with her eyes still trained on Percy, and Percy soon knew that this song was about herself, and was also somehow related to him. Percy understood it immediately. He met her eyes and his widened slightly in surprise.

 _I had everything_

 _Opportunities for eternity_

 _And I could belong to the night_

She looked away. Grabbed her mic and started to walk around the stage.

 _Then your eyes_

 _Your eyes_

 _I can see in your eyes_

 _Your eyes_

She locked eyes with Percy when she sang, because his eyes was one of the things that she loved.

 _You make me wanna die_

 _I'll never be good enough_

 _You make me wanna die_

 _And everything you love will burn up in the light_

 _And every time I look inside your eyes_

 _You make me wanna die_

He knew it was about her when they broke up, maybe this was still how she felt. He knew that he could sing this to her and it would fit perfectly well with his situation. Annabeth sank on the floor as if she really was in despair and that person was making her wanna die.

 _Taste me drink my soul_

 _Show me all the things that I shouldn't know_

 _When there's a blue moon on the rise_

Piper didn't make a sound in this song because she knew the meaning behind it, and so she wanted Annabeth to sang it herself. She was concentrating on her electric guitar in the darker area of the stage, next to Thalia and Nico who were on their respective instruments.

 _I had everything_

 _Opportunities for eternity_

 _And I could belong to the night_

She stood up with the help of the microphone stand, acting it was very hard for her to stood on her own.

 _Then your eyes_

 _Your eyes_

 _I can see in your eyes_

 _Your eyes_

 _Everything in your eyes_

 _Your eyes_

 _You make me wanna die_

 _I'll never be good enough_

 _You make me wanna die_

 _And everything you love will burn up in the light_

 _And every time I look inside your eyes_

 _You make me wanna die_

Annabeth's black lips and dark thick black eyeliner fitted this scenery pretty well. Her blond curls were shadowing over her face, it didn't cover it completely, but it was only enough for them to see part of her face in that shadow made by her curls.

 _I would die for you my love_

 _My love_

 _I would lie for you my love_

 _My love (You make me wanna die)_

 _I would steal for you my love_

 _My love (You make me wanna die)_

 _And I would die for you my love, my love_

 _We'll burn up in the light_

 _And every time I look inside your eyes_

 _I'm burning in the light, look inside your eyes_

 _I'm burning in the light, look inside your eyes_

 _You make me wanna die_

She finished the song with her head bowed forward so that her hair would fall and cover her eyes and nose and only let the people see her lips and the mic. It would be hard to see her face, but if you had really good eye sight it was still possible under that black shadow. She looked like she was about to collapse.

"This next song was the very first song that we performed. I think you know it. It's called My Medicine." Annabeth announced.

"Wanna hear it again?" Thalia and Piper shouted in their mics. The crowed went wild suggesting a yes at their question.

"Then lets do it." Nico shouted raising his drum sticks in the air, then as he put his hands down, Piper started the guitar.

Percy buried his head in his hands, he didn't pay attention to what Annabeth was singing but listened to her voice. ⎡Your love is a drug.⎦ That was all Percy could think of right now. He really didn't know how to start a conversation with Annabeth after what she had witnessed. He remembered Annabeth giving him another chance, because she knew that he wouldn't be that unconscious with a little spike, she knew that he would be fine, so that was why she asked him after she got him home. Usually Annabeth would stay behind and spent the night with him, but the next morning he didn't woke up with a mop of blonde beside him, that was how he realized what he had said and that his mind wasn't working properly yesterday night. How he regretted it was useless now, he thought Annabeth would never want to see him again.

"And now we will end with our second most hit song! Ya all know what it is right?" Annabeth's shout had dragged Percy out of his thought. He knew that this was his cue to leave for the backstage and find Jason. He texted Jason to come out and get him so that he could pass the security without having too many people noticing him.

As Annabeth started, he stood up slowly and quietly, though he didn't have to be quiet since the crowed had never stopped screaming. He caught Annabeth's micro expression, her face saddened a little when she saw him standing up, but soon recovered. She thought he was leaving. Her eyes widened a little, nobody but Percy noticed, when she saw him walking towards the backstage. Her eyes widening wasn't out of surprise, well, partially, but mostly was out of curiosity. She really had no idea why Percy was walking that way, she simply thought he was leaving or just to find Jason.

* * *

The concert ended successfully. With the announce of a water break, they walked down the stage by the cheering from the fans.

"Seriously bro, you can't hear shit out their, even if your ear is literally in my vocal cord you still can't hear it when I shout at the top of my lungs. Really, trust me, after I sat outside, I really prefer the backstage better." That was the first thing Percy said once he entered the backstage lounge with Jason.

The Blender came back along with Piper, and Annabeth's expression wasn't really readable to other people, but Percy successfully deciphered it, and obviously from what he got was that Annabeth had heard his complaints. He felt remorse of it straightaway, he looked down into his hands, and he knew better to attempt a conversation right that moment. Still seated, Percy began to think how to talk to Annabeth. He stared at her. She was taking sips from her water bottle, and was not really engaged in the conversation her bandmates and Piper were at. She sat there drinking from her water bottle thoughtfully. Jason nudged Percy slightly and nodded towards the now seated Annabeth. Percy was having an internal panic attack right now, because he feared that Annabeth might reject him.

Reluctantly and hesitantly, he walked up to Annabeth. Annabeth looked up, and grey met sea-green, they didn't lock eyes, but that was enough for Percy to know that Annabeth noted his movements. She stood up when she saw him walking closer, towards her. Still not taking her eyes off him.

"Wise Girl." Percy said softly, somehow a bit of desperation laced in his voice. Everyone in the lounge quiet down to watch the encounter, thankfully all those people were the people that he was familiar with, so he didn't really care if they heard his weak attempt.

Annabeth looked down and turned around. She was about to walk away when Percy called again.

"Annabeth, please," sadness clearly written in his eyes, softly and his voice was nearly broken, "can I talk to you?"

Annabeth slowly turned around but still stared at the ground, not looking up, she couldn't bare the hurt in Percy's eyes, because she knew she might just break down in front of him and ran to his comfort. She knew that she couldn't be mad at him, and she wasn't for five years. She was just trying to forget.

With the courage she still had within her, she looked up, more like stared into his eyes, and trying very hard not to ran to him, she bit her bottom lip, and spoke in a very little voice, but it was loud enough for everyone in that quiet room to hear. "Talk." She said simply.

Percy winced at the wall she seemed to built just to block him. His eyes definitely looked hurt.

"I mean in private." His voice was small and soft. With desperation, his voice cracked when he begged one last time, "please?" He added faintly.

With that, Annabeth turned around and motioned the others to follow her back to the stage, leaving a broken Percy standing their heads down, hands in the pocket, thinking what had he done wrong. He knew that he might had pushed Annabeth a little harder this time, he should've known that Annabeth was just doing this just to show her weakness was him. Knowing Annabeth for more than ten years, he shouldn't have done that.

He sank back to the seat, and buried his head again in his face, and cried out in frustration, "Urgh! Why am I so stupid!" Jason walked up, trying to comfort him, but he held out his hand. "No Jason, I deserved this." He stood up and walked towards the exit, slowly retreating from the loud stadium, he walked back on to the restless street of New York City.

Back on stage, The Blender was answering questions from the fans. A lot of them were asking for signatures, therefore they announced. "We will be hosting a signature party tomorrow afternoon, for more information check out our Twitter page tomorrow morning. And we are sorry to say this but because the time limit, we have to stop here. We will be there to answer questions and sign your albums tomorrow at that party. The first a hundred people who retweeted our party invitation that will be posted tomorrow morning will receive a free album copy made with our surprise guest Piper. Thank you for all to come tonight, hope to see you at the next station two days later."

Piper decided to stay with them since she was on tour with them. So she helped Thalia and Nico to organize the part tomorrow. None of them had brought up the encounter that happened in the backstage, they wanted to let Annabeth decide herself, they focused on the part tomorrow. Thalia knew that they had to let Annabeth be on her own for now, also she didn't want to stress her out so she promised her that she'd took care of that planning so that she could rest.

Sally Jackson

"Sally there was someone at the door I think." Paul says with his head still in the book. "Can you go check it out?" Sally stood up and walked towards the door. She opened it a little just to see a man.

"How can I help?" Sally asked politely. Colli went up too, she was just curious who was there. She lowered her tail and sniffed the mysterious man that showed up late at night.

"Sorry to disturb you ma'am, I just wanted to deliver this to you." He handed her a small box. "Thanks." She said, as she looked up, that man was already gone. She closely examined the box in her hand, and closed the door absently. There were no address on it, but there was a sticker of a trident and an owl at a small corner of that box. She smiled a little, she knew it was from Annabeth.

Sally walked back into the living room with Colli trailing beside her. She didn't even bother to answer Paul when she saw the letter in the box. It was written in a neat handwriting that had always belonged to Annabeth addressed to her. She opened it gently.

 _Dear Sally,_

 _I know the start of this letter sounds formal, but after all these years I still think I shouldn't greet you with 'hey' in a letter. I secretly sent my stylist's boyfriend to deliver this box because I don't want any one to know about it._

 _Inside this box except this letter, I also put in our newest album made after our first concert, it included our remix with Piper and the whole record of our first concert. It had all our signatures on it, along with Piper's. I hope you like it. This is all I can do after what you had done to me to thank you for all these past years. You were my family Sally, I still see you as my family. Sometimes I just hope that I had this kind of relationship with my actual family, I sometimes envy those times when I can express myself to you without any problem but I couldn't do it with my parents._

 _I understand that you might not like my new style, and the genre of our song, so I added few other songs I had written back in college, it was a different style and it was acoustic. This was the special album I made just for you, the cover was designed by myself. Hope you like it._

 _I will pick up Colli after my tour. I hope she is not troublesome and caused you difficulties._

 _Lastly, thank you for all these years that you cared for me and brought me in when my parents ditched me. I will pay a visit once my tour is over._

 _Sincerely Yours,_

 _Annabeth Chase_

Tears whelmed Sally's eyes when she finished reading this letter. She went to check the playlist listed on the album cover, there she saw three other songs that were neither performed in the concert nor appeared in their last album, she assumed that they were the ones she'd written in college. After she listened to them, she knew that they were about her relationship with Percy, and she presumed she actually wanted Percy to hear it.

* * *

Bus to the next station

"Yesterday some people claimed they saw Percy Jackson the hollywood heartthrob coming out of the concert of The Blender with his face buried in his cloth collar, looking miserable. People also noted that he walked out of the backdoor of the stadium, seemed to be the door to the backstage. He seemed gutted from the way he walked and the way he refused to be seen. We have absolutely no idea what's up with Jackson, because our people had caught him with another woman walking down the street. Apparently that woman just happened to be the country singer, Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Rachel seemed to be a bit clingy, but from Percy's expression we don't think he mind, in fact the thought he might enjoyed it. Hmm… Let's just see how long it will last?"

Piper shook her head with a sigh and turned off the TV, she didn't want Annabeth to hear this, she knew that she was already upset enough. Piper also really wished Percy and Annabeth would workout, she remembered she saw them together when the visited Reyna in Juilliard and when they accompanied Jason to visit her. They looked really cute together.

Percy Jackson

Percy didn't even last a week with Rachel, and now Percy returned to his usual dating routine, meaning he started to date his co-stars. This time, he was in an action romance movie. Usually he tried to avoid romantic movies because he didn't want to think about it. Namely, a certain rock star.

He thought she wouldn't give him another chance, so he accepted this romantic action movie. He knew he should've used another approach instead of calling her nickname given by himself. He just didn't know how to start, he was still desperate to talk to her.

This movie he was casted as the main male role, obviously. His co-star, or love affair in the movie was Drew Tanka, the famous ex-model from Victoria's Secret. She was also known as a player in hollywood, as infamous as Percy Jackson's playboy image.

Percy had always had his own rules when it comes to the game he played with the girls, but this time he wasn't allowed to use his own. Drew came up with her own. It was completely new to him.

"We don't do one-night stands, we act like a couple and do whatever the couple's do, and the one who fall for each other loses. A broken heart will be the punishment." She smirked when Percy and her were sitting in a cafe.

"Gambling? Really?" Percy said slightly amused.

"Yep, my game my rule."

"You're on."

With that, Percy stood up and went back to the shooting scene.

The paparazzi soon caught the starting gamble between the biggest player in hollywood. They vowed to follow it closely and report everything they did.

* * *

Piper tried as much to hide the fact that Percy went back to his old life away from Annabeth Chase, but this wouldn't stop her from knowing it from the TV, since Percy's infamous gamble had started with Drew Tanka, and all the channels were following it closely. Annabeth didn't know what to feel with this, she had always known that Percy wasn't this kind of person, but now that she was starting to doubt herself. Sometimes she blamed herself for not looking in depth of Percy, and let it slipped that he would be this kind of playboy, and wouldn't take any relationship seriously. She was starting to convince herself that all the good things that Percy did to her were all an act, it was all a lie. She couldn't blame Percy for cheating, because she should have known that Percy wouldn't be in a long-time relationship. She thought she was too naive in believing that he would be loving her with his whole heart genuinely.

She had planned to sing this non-rock related song on her next station at the very end, and dedicate it to Percy by not saying his name. She thought it was about time for her to give up on Percy. She had thought that Percy would find her and explain, but she guessed that she was wrong, for the first time, she didn't read Percy well, she didn't look through him. She had always had lingering feelings for him, but Percy had never seemed to return those. She had always thought that she had understood the emotions written in his eyes when he was out with those women, but this time, when she heard of the gamble, she started to think otherwise. It would be harder for Percy now, to get closer to her. Annabeth had put up a wall just for him, and for any other relationships. She promised herself not to go out with guys anymore. She promised herself not to show any weaknesses in front of Percy, not anymore.

Now that seeing Percy going on dates, holding hands with Drew Tanka, Annabeth wondered herself why had she fell with this dork. Seriously, she thought he was better, but maybe she was wrong. She thought she might had changed him, but maybe she was wrong again. She never was right in relationships. She thought she was smart enough not to get her heart broken again, but yet again, she was never correct. Acting all romantically together, the 'player' couple had a reputation amongst the press and all their fans. Some of them shipped these two, but apparently they were only interested in the result of this game, this gamble, and not really who was who.

Annabeth hit her head on her pillow on her couch in the tour bus, and closed her eyes, desperately trying to erase any memory she had with him, she just wanted to leave all the bad memories just to make sure she would stop thinking about him as a sweet caring guy.

* * *

 **A/N: A question I hope you all will answer, do you prefer long chapters or short chapters? By long I mean 3,000 words above, and by short I mean 3,000 words below. Just want your opinions. I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for reading.**

 **And honestly, guys, I don't really like this chapter, the ending is quite crappy to be honest. Really, so if you think so, I don't blame you, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't quit reading this story because of this single crappy chapter, I promise you that in** **the future chapters, there will be a lot happening. So just please, tolerate this one bad chappie and the rest will be fun and interesting, there will be loads happening. I promise.**

 **Till next time.**

 **SapphireTrafficker**


	6. Six

**A/N: I just realized that I spelt 'Blofis' wrong, my apologies if that bothered you, or if you noticed it. Also, because I am too lazy of a person, I didn't bother to change it in front, so from now on it will be spelt in the correct way, and please just ignore the wrong spelling of 'Blofis' in front.**

 **Another announcement, check out my profile and vote on the poll. Vote it even if you had never read any of my stories or you had just read one, I don't care, it doesn't matter, just vote. Randomly click a button and click vote, and you have done me a favor. I know I sound pathetic right now, but it was my first poll, so I need supports. Please! If you voted that would be great.**

* * *

The Blender were sitting on the couch of their hotel room in L.A., California. It was a huge hotel room, bigger than any of them had expected. All four of them knew that. Piper McLean had signed a contract with The Blender, and was officially a member of this rock band after their third station. In California they were going to three stadiums, and this was just before their first concert in Cali. They were just chilling since they just arrived. All four of them were spread comfortably on the floor or on the couch or the chair around the gigantic TV screen. They had no idea why Piper liked to watch the channels that Aphrodite hosted, because none of them except Piper loved gossip. All three of them were only interested in their friends' love life, and outside of that circle were none of their business, but however, Piper just loved to gossip, as much as Aphrodite. They were starting to get suspicious that if she was her daughter, and they started to tease her as the daughter of Aphrodite, despite of Piper's protest. And this time, it was no different, they were forced by Piper to watch the 'Dytee's new celebs profile".

"Welcome to Dytee's new celebs profile, I'm your host Aphrodite Love. Recently, there are two trends. First," pictures of Percy and Drew were displayed in the screen next to Aphrodite. It included them holding hands, going to dinner, chatting in the cafe. "Our gambling couple. They looked serious, did they just turned this into a serious relationship and stopped gambling? I wonder. Also, our second biggest trend." Pictures of Annabeth singing on stage, and also them crowded by fans when they were trying to get down the bus. Them signing autographs, and taking photos with the fans. "The Blender, also known as the youngest rock band. We also know that they just welcomed a new member," pictures taken by the media of them signing contracts in a conference room were displayed on the screen. Piper squealed, she had always wanted to be shown to public in the form that she appreciate, which was in the form of a romantic goth style. When she stood next to a punk, an emo, and a goth, she seemed to be fitting in perfectly well.

"Let's just get into the profile quickly and we can start gossiping!" Aphrodite continued, and half squealed in delight when she said about gossiping. "So first, let's start with our almost faded hollywood heartthrob," Thalia and Annabeth gagged at that comment. "Percy Jackson. Percy was born in New York raised in New York and grew up in New York, he did travelled to places but he didn't say much about his life before he started his acting career. His biological father is also known as the biggest host on the ocean. He owned practically every shipping company and cruise ship companies. His relationship with his son wasn't very good considering that both of them didn't acknowledge each other and didn't really like to talk about each other." Pictures of Poseidon's company showed, and also the pictures of Percy in hollywood, in movies were showed. There were also little clips of Percy's movie. They were all action movies, and contained no obvious romantic sentiment. "The Percy we know is a 6'2 foot handsome man with raven black hair, and a very intimidating green eyes." Annabeth at this stage was trying very hard to avoid listening to Aphrodite describing his body, little did they know, Percy's eyes were turquoise when he was happy, which only happened to be happening around her. Only when he was with Annabeth his eyes would turn into turquoise color, usually when he was happy his eyes were lime. When he was angry his eyes would turn teal, and they looked quite scary sometimes. "His eyes were like the sea, but they seemed to be calm all the time." Annabeth scoffed at this comment which made all three others turned and looked at her in amusement. She did agree with the first one which she admit that his eyes were like the sea, but they were definitely not calm, she knew that his eyes would only be calm in front of her. She knew that he was just suppressing his emotions or maybe it was because he didn't have emotions anymore. His eyes changed like the sea, they were never the same, it would never be calm for long. What he was showing to the press was just his no emotion eyes, it was true that he didn't really know how to show emotions other than to act like what he was supposed to feel. Annabeth drifted into her Percy's eyes land, and wasn't listening to the TV, she was staring out at the window.

"Moving on to our next lucky victim. Annabeth Chase." She was snapped back at the mention of her name. "The lead singer of the youngest rock band in America, The Blender. She had hid herself from the press and paparazzi pretty well I would say, but don't worry, digging information is what I am good at. We still have some information about this mysterious Annabeth." Annabeth's pictures were showed, it had her in all black with all black makeup, and a pair of black heels. Her head was down, avoiding the cameras, but it was clear enough to see her makeup around her eyes. Most of them were taken by the press after their concert when they were walking out. Also clips of their concerts were showed. "From the photos we can see that this blonde hair girl not only has her own style but has probably proved a lot of stereotypers wrong about blondes. She has these long legs that had taken up to two thirds of her body, and she is lean, athletic, but also healthily thin. Nobody would have guessed that Annabeth Chase is 5'9. Yes, we know that her legs are extremely long, and especially when she's in heels, she looked just like a model, but yes, it is surprising that she is 5'9, very very tall for a girl. We wonder what she did in high school." Aphrodite went on and on about her like she did about Percy. Annabeth zoned out again, not wanting to listen to Aphrodite keep going on about her legs and how she looked, she knew how she should look, she certainly didn't need people to comment on it.

Both Percy and Annabeth were extremely tall, yet, Annabeth still wore heels on stage and during interviews, Thalia and Nico were just average, like about 5'6.

* * *

"Thalia fucking Grace, get your fucking damn ass off bed, and get ready for the concert!" Annabeth shouted to the now shocked awoke Thalia while she took off her blanket in a very violent way. An amused Piper stood leaning on the door frame. Nico walked passed that room quietly pretending that he had already woken up, because he didn't want an angry Annabeth inside and shout to him again.

Piper and Annabeth were already ready and was waiting for the other two to finish their breakfast, they were sipping their drinks in their hand that they bought before they went to woke Thalia up.

"Meet me in the front door in five you two." Annabeth stood up from her place, and Piper followed. Piper was still not used to the Annabeth that wakes up Thalia and Nico, she was rather amused by the way she used to wake up these two, or more like the only way to wake up them.

It had been already a month since the gamble between the two hollywood player started, and they were still under spotlight. Annabeth's tour was followed closely by a group of paparazzi too, so she wasn't that lucky too. Nevertheless, Percy didn't care about paparazzi, and was eager to get caught by them; however, it was very different with Annabeth's case, she didn't want them to know about her every move. Not that she was manipulative or anything, it was just that she wasn't used to unnecessary attention given by the population.

Ever since Percy started to date Drew, he had been staying at Drew's a lot, because he mainly he didn't want Drew home, but also he didn't want to bother Jason, since he knew that no one like Drew. Honestly, even himself. He didn't allow Jason to use his tickets, because to him those tickets meant more than just tickets, and those signatures on them meant more than signatures to him. Jason decide not to follow across the country because then he had to find somewhere to live on his own and he had to face Annabeth, whom he knew that was not on good terms with him and his roommate.

The members of The Blender weaved through the crowed of fans and paparazzi in front of their hotel room waiting for them and aboard the bus finally. Little did they know, the paparazzi in California was more gossiping than in any other places, especially in Los Angeles, because Hollywood was just so popular here. Here in L.A., paparazzi were just everyday life, people were used to speeding motorcycles after cars that were trying to get away, and traffic jams caused by fans and paparazzi blocking the road was more than usual. People often came out of their house hours before their actual event starts because they knew the Los Angeles streets were unpredictable.

To the members on the bus of The Blender, it was no difference. Ever after the episode done by Aphrodite, The Blender kept trending upwards, and was also the trending hashtag. It was what people were focusing on these days since The Blender were having two concerts in L.A., and one in San Francisco, that was the most concerts they hosted in one state. Paparazzi were surrounding the bus on their motorcycles and they were speeding trying to block the bus from going forward just for some pictures. Argus, their bus driver was trying his best to swivel around and not to hit any of the paparazzo. Black motorcycles were coming very close to the bus just for some pictures that would reveal their life in the bus.

"Damn, this would cause trouble, and we're going to be late." Piper said under her breath, she was still not used to cussing.

"Fuck these bastard. What do they want?" Thalia swore.

"They just want some damn fucking photos of us." Annabeth said coldly.

They were all looking out the window worriedly and angrily at the motorcycle and cameras snapping pictures of their scowling faces.

Just then, they heard Argus yelled, "whoa!" She didn't even have time to register what did Argus just yelled, and 'bam!' everything went black for Annabeth. All she heard before she was completely out was her friends shouting to her. They seemed to be okay from their sound, because all of them were shouting. They tried to rush to her side, but they seemed injured too. Annabeth couldn't register more, she'd gone away completely. Blood flowing out from every part of her body, all the cloths around her were damp with blood, and her blonde hair turned red almost immediately.

Percy Jackson

Percy was on a lunch date with Drew at a diner. They were just acting as a couple, like those hollywood couples who were just too boring to watch and gossip about. Neither Drew nor Percy was good with this date stuff, they were all used to one-night stands. Percy only put effort on dates when it was with Annabeth, and that was the last time he had planned a date. He just plainly asked Drew out, and made it looked romantic and made all the outside fascinating for Drew to capture her heart.

Suddenly, Percy's phone rang.

"Percy, I thought we were suppose to turn off our phone during dates." Drew said in a sickly sweet voice.

Percy looked at the caller ID and almost dropped his phone.

Percy ignored Drew's protest and ran out of the diner to take the phone call.

"Hello?" Percy said into the phone. He was not sure if the phone was in its owner's hand, he expected the owner, but instead what he heard almost made him faint right there.

"This is UCLA Medical Center, are you Percy Jackson? Are you family? You're on her speed dial so we called." The medic said.

"Yes, I am Percy Jackson, and no I'm not family, but a good friend of hers. What happened?" He tried to restrain his panic voice.

"There's been a car accident with the paparazzi when she is on the bus to their stadium. The other band members are under control, but because she is the lead singer and the paparazzi seemed to want her picture the most so most of them was at her side when the accident happened. Her condition is quite severe, we just wanted to inform a relative. Could you please tell one of her relatives?"

"Uh… Yes… Sure… I mean, I will. Thank you for the information. Bye." Percy was so shocked, he finally blurted out the last sentence. Right now, he didn't care if he left Drew hanging or if he didn't pay for his expensive meal, they were all not important. Annabeth was always his priority. He knew that Annabeth's family gave no shit about her, so he decided not to tell her family, but instead tell his mom. Again, when he was about to call in the cab he hailed immediately, he put it down, he wanted to tell them after he saw Annabeth's condition.

Percy went to the airport straight away without even bothered to take his other stuff, he only had his wallet and his phone with him and nothing else. To him, it didn't matter. He called his dad and asked to borrow his private jet, and told him that he would make it up to him afterwards. He told him that it was urgent. Poseidon reluctantly agreed.

About five hours later, he arrived the hospital in his father's helicopter, because he wanted to avoid paparazzi and the press, he didn't want attention right now.

He rushed into the hospital in the secret passage lead by a doctor and arrived Annabeth's floor. Since they're celebrities, all four of them had the whole floor. Annabeth was in the ICU.

The doctors didn't allow him to visit, because her conditions were severe and she was still in danger.

"How about the others?" Percy asked the doctor.

"They are fine and are all asking about her." Percy nodded. His phone buzzed, but he didn't care, he knew it was from Drew, he was ready to dump her anyway. The doctor continued, "Ms Grace and Ms McLean are in one room, they just have a fractured leg, and some cuts and bruises all over the body, and some deep cuts, but over all they are fine. Mr Di Angelo has an arm fracture and a long deep cut on his head, and some bruises on his legs, he is just resting, he is steady." Percy nodded again. "Okay, thank you for your information doctor." The doctor turned around ready to leave.

"Another thing doctor, can I check the pay check so far?" The doctor nodded. "Also, when am I allowed to visit Annabeth?" They were walking off to the doctor's office on this floor, to see the check so far.

"You will be able to visit Miss Chase after her everything returns to normal, she is still in a coma, and her heart beat is not normal, her breathing is unusual too. We just finished the surgery with her head." Percy nodded grimly.

"Put Annabeth's check under my name. And if the other three need any other thing that is not usual caretake than I'll also cover that. The rest shouldn't be a problem to the band. Lastly, thank you doctor. I'll go check on the others first. Inform me immediately when Annabeth can be visited." Percy walked away out of the office. He thought maybe he should let Jason know about Piper.

He dialed Jason's number. "Hey, Jason, can you come to the UCLA Medical Center? You might already know that they had been in an accident. I'm here already, and I'll tell you that she's fine, and awake, she only had some fractured bones and some bruises, otherwise completely healthy. I suggest you use your dad's connection, you have no idea how the paparazzi here gets."

"I'll be there in a few hours." Jason said quietly. He had already knew that there had been an accident but didn't bother to find out who was in that bus.

Then he saw Drew's god-knows how many messages and calls. He decided to end it, he knew that Drew had already fell. He was seriously surprised how could she fell this fast, he didn't even do anything special, just some couple-ly stuff. He didn't bother to read anything, but something he accidentally spotted while he scroll through the messages had ignited his anger.

 _Don't tell me you're in L.A., checking on your 'family'._

 _— Drew Tanka_

Oh no, this usually wouldn't effect him, but this time, he was not in a good mood, and he had never thought of anyone who was denser that himself. He thought she should know by now that he always choose family over her. He never knew how the media had reported this, but when he spot the last sentence, he let out a cold laugh. _Annabeth is the main reason I'm here._ He thought, funny how she didn't know all of this.

 _I will always choose family over you, Drew. Get over it, or shall we celebrate my winning?_

He gave this a shot, just wanting to test the water, he wanted to know if he could end this game with his success. Seconds later, he received probably his last message from Drew.

 _You had claimed your prize already. Should've known._

Percy gave out a heartedly laugh, and pictured the angry Drew. He was now at the hall of Thalia, Nico and Piper's room. Before he went in, he decided to tell his mom about Annabeth, he thought she should know, because her parents didn't care.

"Hey Mom." Percy leant against the wall in the hall way near their room, and down the hallway was the ICU, where Annabeth was at.

"Oh hey Percy. How are you?"

"I'm fine mom, but I called just to let you know about something."

"Okay. Is it good or bad."

"Bad. And I'm fine mom." He added quickly, because he knew his mom would be alerted by this. "You know about Annabeth's relationship with her family right? I told you about it didn't I… Yes, so you probably haven't heard about the accident in L.A. right… Yes, Annabeth is in the accident along with all her bandmates… They are fine, it's just Annabeth… No, you don't need to come, it's just that I can't tell her parents because I don't think it would be good to her if she saw her parents when her conditions were not stable… Yea, I'll stay with her… No, you don't have to come, mom really, don't, I don't think lot's of people here is what she likes… Mom, they don't care about her, her dad would probably do, but Helen won't. I also don't think the twins should be here… I know they're in Cali, I know where they are… Fine I will, but after she wakes up okay? … Yea, okay… Bye mom, love you too."

He put his phone back into his pocket, and walked towards Thalia's room. Standing at the door, he saw Thalia and Piper chatting, they seemed to be fine from the outside. They had a cast on their legs and had some bandages around their arms and legs and their torso, but they seemed fine except for the physical pain. He sighed in relief and was about to turn and walk away hoping that none of them had noticed him.

"Percy?" "Jackson?" They said together looking at Percy's direction.

"Gee, thanks for calling out my full name. Nice to see you two in shape." Percy said, turning around.

"How do you know about this?" Thalia asked.

"You're here for her aren't you?" Piper started to turn all Aphrodite **(A/N: You know what I mean)**.

"Yes, and how did I know? The nurse used Annabeth's phone to call relatives, and found that I was on speed dial so called me."

"Whoo, see, I told ya that she still cared about you right Perce?" Piper teased.

"Okay, you keep on doing whatever you two were on, and I'll go check on Nico."

"Dude, how's Annabeth?" Thalia stopped him.

"In the ICU, doctor doesn't allow visit, so I still have to wait for her condition to turn steady. She's in a coma by the way." Percy walked away and ignored the gasps the two were letting out.

He walked to Di Angelo's room, and saw him asleep, he was pale as usual, but it was his normal skin color. Percy smiled a little, and walked out.

He was walking down the hall to the end where Annabeth would be. She was the one he worried the most. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be flying. His hatred and fear towards flying was known by almost everyone that knew him.

Walking to the door he spotted the doctor that was telling him everything when he came talking with two nurses. He heard parts of their conversation as he approach, and before they noticed him.

"— She recovered fast, like really fast."

"I know, I was surprised."

"She seemed very fit though."

"So is she steady now?" The doctor asked. The nurses nodded, and tried to tell how surprised they were when they saw the monitor went back to normal.

They noticed Percy's approach and stopped their conversation.

"Mr Jackson, I'm glad to notify you that you may visit now, and can you tell me that is there going to be any other visitors? Do I need to arrange it a little?" The doctor said.

"No, it's just me. Is it okay if I stay there?"

"Oh I think it's fine, just call the nurses when you need them. I think her condition is just fine. She should be waking up from her coma in the next few days." The doctor said and smiled up at the tall lean Percy, and walked away.

Percy was about to walk in when the two nurses came up fangirling.

"OMG! So you are the Percy Jackson!"

"Is that gamble still on?"

"Can you sign here?" This could went on and on if Percy didn't stop them.

"I thought you were suppose to look after your patient and not fangirling over some guy." Percy said, annoyance laced through his voice.

"Last question, are you her boyfriend?"

"What if I am. Now do I need to tell your boss to change another less annoying nurses or will you stop fangirling over me and just get away?" Percy was not only slightly irritated. He glared at them.

"This guy has a mood." One of them muttered while both of them shuffled away.

"I heard that. And who wouldn't when the person they cared about the most is lying in the ICU looking almost lifeless? God, thought you two had witnessed enough grieving family in the ICU, but I guess not." With that he turned and walked inside shutting the door right on their faces.

He sat down next to Annabeth's bed, and took in the surroundings. She was basically covered with wires. Her face was lifelessly pale. He was scared for a second, if he didn't see the monitor screen he would presume that she was dead. She looked, so, lifeless. He didn't even know whether if he should reach for her hand, he didn't dare to touch her because he didn't know what it would cause. Wires and other complicated stuff surrounded her hands and chest and other parts. There were no blood stains whatsoever, but the cuts were still visible. Percy was heart broken when he saw this scene. Annabeth was his life, she was his everything, he didn't gave up on her, he was just confused at the time. He didn't know what to do. His panic didn't help either, it made all things worse.

"I know that you might not hear me, but I just want to express my feelings to you. You're the only one that would understand me." He paused, and put his head down, he put his left hand on her right arm. He noticed the new tattoo behind her right ear **(A/N: Like the symbol on the Sum 41 'Fake My Own Death' album)**. "Oh, I didn't know you got a new tattoo. It was a very different style. I'm sorry that I changed you like this. Really. I know sorry isn't enough, but I still am, and I'll do everything to make it up to you. I know you don't want to hear about my explanation about that day, so I will drop it. Just, right now, please, promise one thing, promise me you will wake up, I don't care if you still want me or not, just, please, wake up." His voice cracked a little. "Two things I'm asking from you right now. First and for most, wake up, and secondly, I'm not sure if you want to inform your parents about this." He said quietly in a small voice.

He rubbed circles on her arm because he couldn't touch her hand due to the wires and stuff. That was what he always does when he needed to calm Annabeth down.

"I know that you despise me now, because of my infamous gamble with Tanka. I know you were not happy with my actions on presenting the playboy image to the public. I also know that you are happy that the press doesn't know our relationship." He put his head on the edge of her bed next to her right arm. "I don't mind if you didn't hear all this. I'm glad that you still cared about me, when the nurse used your phone to call a relative they called me, because I'm on speed dial. I'm just glad that you still didn't change that. You're still on my speed dial too. You know that all those years I am still in love with you. The visit you payed to my mom to drop off Colli, I know you were debating with yourself whether to go or not, because part of you wanted to see me and another part doesn't. Dropping off Colli was part of your excuse to test your luck. I know you wanted to put her in my mom's but most importantly you wanted to give me the tickets and the album. You gave it to my mom because you don't want to show me that you still loves me and still care about me. I know, I understand. Mom explained this to me after you went. I wouldn't understand your actions if my mom didn't explain it. Remember at your first station where I met you at the backstage? I was panicking inside and don't know how to start a conversation with you, because as much as I know you, and as much as I can read you like a book, I still don't know whether if you will talk to me or not. I'm sorry if I scared you away by calling your nickname, I didn't mean it. I really wanted to just talk to you, about anything. I just wanted to hear your voice, nothing else. Also I got the new album after your first concert, I listened to the songs you wrote when we were together. I really hope we can have another try. I know you write songs, but I never knew they were that good. I remembered the time when we were at my mom's house, and I was playing the piano in my room, and you would start singing. The words just flew out of your mouth. I didn't know you wrote them down and record them in your studio.

I realized that I owed you too many apologies, too much that it made apologies seemed meaningless. I know I disappointed you when I mopped around the town moving from one woman to another instead of going to your concerts, and I'm really really sorry. I had done many things that hurt you and disappoint you and made you upset, and I apologize for all that. I truly am sorry. At first after our encounter in the backstage, I thought you gave up on me, you don't want me in your life any more. Again, I was wrong. Afterwards I reflected myself, and realized that my approach was not good, and I was trying to gain your attention by getting attention from the press. This was not the place where I'd like to meet you and talk to you." He sighed, "I should probably stop talking, I felt like I was annoying you."

* * *

"Seaweed Brain?" She paused. "Ugh, as usual."

She moved her arm that was under his hand to shook him awake.

"Sleeping quite lightly." She commented when he looked up, joy in his eyes.

"You're finally awake."

"I woke up three hours ago, and the doctors had already checked on me, he said that I still had a concussion, it was not mild but not severe, it should be gone after a week or two." She said. "You still drool in your sleep." She said with a weak smile. He smiled too.

"I love your smile and you." Percy muttered, eyes widened after he realized what he just said.

"Cheesy much?" Annabeth teased. And darkened, "but that doesn't mean you're forgiven."

"I know. Not asking much."

"What are you doing here?"

"You don't want me here?" Percy feign hurt, and put his hand on his heart to make it more dramatic.

"Depends. Now answer the question or else I don't want you here."

"Fine, to see my cousins and Piper."

"That's it." She raised an eyebrow.

"And you."

"Hmm… Thought so." She smiled slightly.

"Wanna watch TV?"

"Yea sure, bored anyway."

Percy turned on the television. The first thing they saw were the pictures of Percy and Drew, and also a picture of these two with a crack in the middle. The host said, "is it true that this gamble is over? And is it true that our ever so experienced Drew Tanka fell for the hollywood heartthrob? We never expected Drew to fall this quick. I doubt that Percy felt the same, he just didn't show it. But something is bothering me, according to Drew, he left abruptly on their last date. He said he had to take that call, and never came back. We wonder who called, let's watch the short clip to find out, and I promise you all another gossip." The host, aka Aphrodite, winked.

A short video from the security camera above Percy head, it showed the time just before Percy's phone rang. Percy was listening to Drew's little boring speech about the newest makeup, and fashion trend. The he moved his hand to his pocket and fished out his phone. He looked up to Drew, apparently Drew had complained about something because her eyebrows were scrunched together. Percy looked at the caller ID, and stood up abruptly and rushed out the diner. Drew was somewhat angry at his action, but didn't do anything. The clip backed up to where Percy fished out his phone, and zoomed on to the screen, and it says

 _Wise Girl [A.C.]_

And a picture of Annabeth. It was taken years ago, when they were still dating. Annabeth still remembered that time when Percy was trying to take a picture of her when she tried on mascara out of interest in a shop, she had her hand covered her face, but Percy lured her into showing her face.

The video was black and white and had no sound since it was just a security monitor and not a video camera. Annabeth watch the start in disgust and grimace on her face, and her eyes widen in surprise when she saw Percy getting a phone call from her.

"I never called you!" She exclaimed. "Who the fuck used my phone?"

"Um… You didn't, but the nurses in here did."  
"Why you and not my dad?"

Percy winced at this cold-shouldered tone, and even though her dad and her didn't have a great relationship, but she still relied on him when it comes to accidents. Percy thought bitterly that maybe his action that night had deepened the cut in her heart that her dad had caused, and now she trust him the same as her trust to her father.

"They don't know your password, and I was on speed dial so they called me."

"But you were on a date." She said the word 'date' in disgust, considering that it was Drew Tanka who was his date. She turned to him because he was silent, and looking down in shame. She looked up and glared at him.

When she saw the shame and guilt in his eyes, her glare softened a little. She was now sitting up. She reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers. Percy was a little startled at this gesture.

"So that gamble is true isn't it, Perce?" She said softly, but not weakly. She sighed when she noticed Percy's surprised face and the hesitant pause. She knew that she surprised him by calling him 'Perce' and she also took the hesitation as a yes to her.

Percy looked up to the ceiling and took a long deep breath and said, "yea." While exhaling these air, he still didn't dare to look down at Annabeth's face. He didn't want to picture how Annabeth would react. Her face was already pale enough he didn't want to know how she would grew paler. But instead, when he finally looked down, the Annabeth he saw was staring at him with a poker face. Her face was pale, but better then the day he saw her in a coma.

Annabeth saw him looked down, she put up her hand that wasn't held by Percy and rubbed her face tiredly. "Perseus Jackson," she said it with her face still buried in her hand. Percy flinched by the full name. "I can't believe it, I just can't." She looked up at him, with a sadness in her eyes. "After all these years, I thought you were different from Luke. I had always thought and spoke highly of you." She sighed, and looked away from Percy, "yet, you failed me." She finished in a small voice, also enough for Percy to hear.

Annabeth looked out the window on her left, which was opposite from Percy. She didn't know how to react to Percy and his actions in hollywood. The TV was still playing, but none of the payed any attention to it. Percy was running the free hand through his hair. He knew he had done wrong, he knew he disappointed her. He knew that the sadness in her eyes was not because of he didn't love her anymore or because he chose other women rather than going after her, but because she would never picture him as a womanizer. Sure, she would agree that Percy was handsome and good-looking, and been the hollywood heartthrob, nevertheless, she had never imagined Percy using his heartthrob image to get women. That was what she was disappointed at.

Percy looked broken seeing disappointment in Annabeth's eyes, especially it was because of him. Leaving his hand in his hair, he said finally, defeated. "I acted like a womanizer because all these years I wanted to attract the press to make you notice me." He paused a little, and in fear he said, "but you never seemed to notice me."

He expected to see Annabeth's expression change when she turned back from the window. When she turned to look at him, his face fell, her expression was just the same, and even more disappointed, and even somewhat angry. "No, Percy. First, that was not your main reason, but that's not the main thing now. The thing is, I did notice you, and I know you did this initially trying to gain my attention, but I don't appraise the way you did it, I thought from all these years of friendship you should know me well enough to know how to gain my attention in the way you want. This is not the way. I am really disappointed by your actions." She raised their linked hands, and put it on Percy's chest. "You should go now. You might still get your chance if you are still that Percy who could read me like I'm transparent. Till next time Perseus Jackson." She said solemnly, and loosened her grip on his hand ready to let go, but Percy gripped it tighter. He didn't like the way Annabeth addressed him in his full name, and also felt hurt by the fact that Annabeth didn't want him there. Despite all the hurt, he couldn't blame her. He knew she was strong inside, and had a deep cut in her heart, he once vowed to heal it. She let her guards down and let him in, yet he made the almost healed wound even deeper, and now it was even harder to heal it, and he made that his job.

He cupped her hand in both of his hands, and put it near his mouth, he gently kissed it. Annabeth's eyes closed. He didn't leave, and Annabeth didn't seem to mind. He knew that Annabeth was just trying to stay strong, and trying not to show him that he was still her weakness. He still knew her well. He might still get his next chance.

* * *

Annabeth woke up in the middle of the night because she couldn't sleep.

Annabeth blurted out suddenly, her voice was dry and still weak, but little stronger than the time when Percy first heard her voice. She forgot that it was the middle of the night and forgot that Percy was asleep.

"You just wanted to talk to me didn't you. I heard you when I was asleep." From the corner of her eyes she saw Percy jerked awake. "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you in the middle of the night, I just couldn't sleep because my head hurts." She said in a somewhat guilty voice.

"It was a symptom of mild concussion, it'll be over soon."

"How do you know about this?"

"I searched it online and also asked your doctor while you were asleep."

Annabeth was a little stunned by the fact that Percy actually did some research and asked the doctor for something this detailed. She'd never seen him doing it to anyone else. A sudden warmth rushed to her heart, it melted some of the barriers she built up to prevent such thing.

"I thought you were in a coma."

"Yea, no big difference."

A comfortable silence filled the room. Both of them didn't know what to talk. Percy didn't wanted to talk about sensitive stuff nor about emotions.

"Percy?" She said weakly.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for covering my medical bill." Her thumb was caressing the tattoo on his thumb that had her name in Greek.

"Anything for you." Percy smiled warmly at her, and his eyes glinted with delight. "Still liked this tattoo don't you?" Percy teased smirkingly.

"Old habits die hard." Was all Annabeth said, she turned her head around to avoid Percy seeing her smile.

"By the way, when did you get that tattoo? I like it."

Annabeth attempted a small laugh, turning back and face him. "You just love everything from me don't you?" Percy banged his head on her arm lightly, "don't state the obvious, you're embarrassing me." He muttered under his breath.

"I just said it, old habits die hard, so does old hobbies. Embarrassing you is just one of the hobby of mine. Anyways, I got it before the accident, in L.A."

Another pause.

Annabeth was looking out the window again.

After what seemed like hours, Percy started to talk, but found Annabeth asleep, so shut up again. He admired Annabeth's hair and her peaceful face when she sleeps. Her face was still pale, but this time, she had a little smile plastered on her lips. He smiled at that sight. He had always found it intimidating when he watch Annabeth sleeps. Its creepy, he knew that, but that couldn't stop him from staring one of the most important person in his life.

 _"It's rude to stare at people when they are sleeping, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth remarked._

 _"I know but I don't care, you're beautiful, can't help myself."_

 _"May I just add that it's creepy to open your eyes and see a face right in front of yours."_

 _"Yea, I know, but you're lucky to observe my handsome face this close. You don't know how many people wanted to do this."_

 _"Ugh, can you be more cheesy Seaweed Brain." Annabeth pushed his face away playfully._

 _"Is that what you want, Wise Girl?" Percy wiggled his eyebrows. He leant down and kissed her, but she only returned with a peck and sat up. Running a finger around his jaw line, she smirked. "You're not going to get what you want that easily. Never gonna make it easy for you Seaweed Brain." With that, she walked out of the room swaying her hip, and turned around one last time before she turned out the room. Her blonde curls went flying backwards as she turned her head She sent him a sexy wink and walked out, lingering her hand on the door frame a little longer just for the effect._

Percy smiled sadly at this memory. He thought of how they were such a sweet couple, and they had even planned their future together, but now, he was just pathetically chasing after her, and all she returned was a disappointed look and a cold-shoulder.

Pathetic, but worth it. He thought.

A day before Annabeth's release

"You're going to be released tomorrow according to the doctor. I just talked to him by the way." Percy walked in the room and saw Annabeth wide awake. He walked and sat on the chair next to Annabeth's bed.

"While you're gone, Thalia and Nico came. They seemed to recovered well." Annabeth was in sitting position right now. The color on her cheek had come back already. Her face was once clear with makeup, and was in her natural color. It was the way Percy always fancied. He didn't say anything about it because he didn't want to evoke bad memories.

Percy smiled slightly. He thought that maybe he could just briefly explain himself about that night. So he started.

"Hey, um… About that —"

He was cut off by Annabeth's hand slapping on his mouth. A little harder than she had expected, but still worked.

"Not now Jackson. I'm in a good mood." She said sternly. "Don't. Push. It." She said word by word coming closer to his face. She let her hand fell from his mouth. Percy shifted uncomfortably under the call of his last name. Principally she usually called his last name playfully and not in this serious way. He felt been distanced by her.

"Why last name?" He ruffled his couldn't be messier raven black hair, and said in a very defeated tone.

"Prefer Perseus better?" She scoffed. Percy looked down to the ground and shook his head, only Annabeth's biological mother, Athena had addressed him as Perseus, and no one else had done that. Not under normal circumstances. "Fine, you won." He mumbled under his breath.

"What was that? I heard it. Say it again." Annabeth said in a singing voice, and was trying not to break into a fit of laughter.

"You won." He whispered-shouted.

Suddenly he stood up and leant closer to Annabeth's half sitting half lying figure. "Like." He flicked her forehead softly. "Always." And pecked her nose after this word. Annabeth was taken by surprise by his sudden affection towards her. She didn't see that coming nor was she expecting it. She couldn't help but smile a little.

They stared into each other's eyes for a while. Annabeth cleared her throat and their eye contact broke apart.

"Hey, how about you take a nap, and I'll come back when they were coming to change your bandages." He tucked a curl of blonde hair behind her ear and his hand stayed there a little longer than needed. She had her hand on his chest as they drowned in the other's eyes.

"Yo, lovebirds." A voice that most certainly belonged to Thalia came from the door. That caused Percy to slowly move away. He waved at Annabeth and turned around and walked to the door.

"Percy," Annabeth called, and caused Percy to stop in his steps, he half turned. "Go get some sleep, you didn't get enough sleep these days. Be careful of the paparazzi." She smiled warmly at him in which he returned. That was the first time in the past nearly six years that he had seen Annabeth smile this warmly. And it was to him. He felt like floating on the cloud at that moment. The smile would be imprinted deeply into his memory.

Annabeth ignored Thalia's questioning eyebrow, and said, "hey yourself." Thalia was still in crutches, so did the other two. Annabeth should be able to walk with the help of a third person. Her problems were mainly on her brain, luckily it didn't really effect her mentality and intellect. Annabeth's damage was more on the upper body whereas Thalia and Piper's were on the lower half, mainly the legs. Nico had only a broken arm and a not so severe deep cut on his forehead. The three of them were all healed. Thalia and Piper were able to walk with crutches. Nico was able to move his arm freely but could not lift heavy stuff. They were released few days ago but still staying in the hospital to avoid more paparazzi.

It had been more than a week already. Annabeth was scheduled to be released tomorrow. She had some broken ribs and a head injury that resulted a concussion that should be gone in a month or two.

"You seemed to be enjoying his accompany." She teased faintly. "You know, I thought Jason would be visiting you along with Piper, but I think only Piper visited right? What's with you and Jason?"

"I dunno. Jason had been distant ever since that night." She said darkly, she didn't want to think about that night. "Jason had blamed Percy's numbness on me, so I guess he still had something against me." She sighed. "Not that I cared. I really don't need people visiting, I think I'm recovering pretty well." She said at last.

"You don't need people visiting you because there had been a certain someone accompanying you all day long." Thalia smirked, and started to laugh when she saw Annabeth turning her head to face the window to hide her blush. "You told your dad or mom about your situation?"

"Percy did."

"Why didn't they come?"

"They never gave a shit about me." She said bitterly. She had always been hiding the fact that she was hurt by the fact that her parents never cared about her. Even though she had tried to cover her hurt, but her best friends and Percy had all saw through that façade. Thalia looked down, didn't know what to say. After a few minutes of silence, Thalia silently walked out.

* * *

 **A/N: Wow, this chapter is long, not sure if it's going to be longest chapter, but definitely one of the longest. A lot had happened in this chapter, there are several Percabeth encounters and moments. Any constructive criticism is allowed from anyone. I need any feedback. Tell me anything you want, what do you think of this chapter. I don't care how long your comment will be, I just want a review from you.**

 **Before you go, last thing, let me repeat again, there is a poll in my profile, please check it! It's about the three stories I've written and posted, vote on the one you like the most. I don't care if you had read all of them or you had read none, I just wanted a vote. You can even take it as which one's your favorite title. I just need someone to vote on their. It's the first time I've put up a poll, so I really need your support! Thank you if you will vote, a vote will mean a lot to me.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and liked this chapter. Favorite. Follow. Review!**


	7. Seven

**A/N: So I was thinking that maybe my rating isn't so accurate at this point, but till last chapter I thought the waiting was worth something like T right? That's what I think, but to tell you the truth, that was only the beginning. Seeing this as a big whole thing, I mean like look it as in different big events or categories (Ok, I'm not sure if you can understand, I'm not really good at expressing myself, so I'm practicing. Sorta). So as I was saying, the first chapters were just a prologue, at least as the author I would be able to understand (honestly, I'm not sure why I'm saying that, probably not many people read M rated stories), and also there will be content that I think should be M rated. It's only my own opinion, different people have different thoughts and opinions towards certain things. I heard some of you say that you like long chapters. Good to know that, because so do I. Also, last thing about the ratings. Personally I think this chapter and the next one should be rated M, not because they contain smut scenes, they don't, but because there are depression, suicide, and drug related, and also quite a lot of swearing, so yea, I think it should be rated M.**

 **I'm not sure why I'm explaining why I rated M here in the sixth chapter, but anyways hope you like it so far to follow and read till this chapter. Hope you will enjoy this one too, and hope you will continue follow my stories.**

* * *

Manhattan, New York City.

 ** _Months after the accident._**

"Hey Piper, hi Annabeth. What brings you here?" Leo welcomed them into their bar, to the back, where Leo and Calypso usually stays when the pub was opened. Calypso came out not long after. "Hey guys. I heard about your accident, hope you are all fine. How are you Annabeth? I'm sorry to hear that you have to cancel your tour though." The both smiled politely and waved off the question gesturing that they were fine and thanked for their concerns.

"We just came here to chill out ya know, and see my former boss, also now my friend." Piper said in a cheekily grin.

They sat down around the table, and ordered their drinks, and of course they were all on Calypso, since according to her 'it's part of old friends catching up'. Annabeth was still awkward with Calypso and they didn't really know what to talk about. Leo for some reason that Annabeth didn't know, was avoiding Annabeth's look, whenever Annabeth looked at him, he would turn his head and avoid her glance.

Piper couldn't take the tension and awkwardness between Calypso and Annabeth anymore. She said, "what's with you two?"

Annabeth and Calypso glanced at each other, no one spoke.

There was an awkward silence. Piper was eyeing Calypso and Annabeth suspiciously, and Leo was stirring his drink absently. Calypso finally cleared her throat. "Okay, I think maybe it's time for you to know the truth."

"What shit are you hiding from me?" Annabeth knew what truth she was talking about, and that was the reason why she got angry all of a sudden.

Leo quivered at this remark, but he didn't dare defend his girlfriend in front of Annabeth. He always feared Annabeth one way or another, he had never gotten to know the Annabeth that her friends knew, the Annabeth that Percy loved, because he had always distanced himself from her. And now, after all that had happened, and after what he had done wrong, he feared Annabeth even more, and he would never see the real Annabeth, he would only see Annabeth as a scary yet admirable figure.

"So, you know what I'm talking about." She didn't wait for Annabeth's reaction, and she ignored Piper's quizzical look. "Before I tell you anything, I need to apologize for what I had done. I am deeply sorry for what I had done, and I genuinely felt bad for making your relationship shatter. I'm really really sorry." She began, not daring too look up to meet Annabeth's eyes. She paused, but didn't expect Annabeth to be saying something.

"Look at me when you apologize. I don't blame you, and I don't need you to act scared in front of me. I don't bite. I need to see you're genuineness, if you really mean all your words." Annabeth said softly to Calypso, trying to comfort the frightened her. "You might be forgiven, depends on what you will tell me. Now get the damn on." She finished bitterly.

Calypso looked up, but guilt was the only emotion in her eyes.

"I didn't like Percy, I never did. I only thought of him as a friend or maybe just another guy who was nice and good-looking. I never wanted to make a move on him. I knew you two were a thing, and I knew —" She was cut off by Annabeth's risen hand, and the look she was giving her. She changed the subject and got on the main things. "You don't want to hear all that crap didn't you. Sorry. Then to make it short and straight forward, I'll tell you this. Luke half payed me half threatened and sorta blackmailed me to do that, to make it look like Percy and I were making out." Annabeth was a little surprised, but remained her posture. She mentally cursed Luke, ⎡That son of a bitch.⎦

"Do you have anything else that you have to tell that I should know?" Annabeth asked, containing her anger.

"Um… Luke told me to do it when he was semi-conscious, because that would be the perfect time to get him in to kissing back and make it look real. People's mind don't function pretty well when you are semi-conscious so Luke been cruel and evil as always told me that Percy will be semi-conscious. I don't know how he knew that Percy would be like that but that was all I heard from him. Also, Leo knows more about their plan than I do, because the Stolls told him after it happened."

Annabeth turned her head to face Leo. He was still stirring his drink absently, and listening to their conversation quietly, he knew that this would make Annabeth even madder, but he had to confess. Now better then too late. So he looked up, and cringed when he saw Annabeth's stern look. He was still debating whether to kept avoiding Annabeth or to tell her the truth and risk the chance to lose the only glimpse of friendship left with her.

"Valdez. If you want to tell me something, open that damn mouth of your, I don't have all day here. I am not in a good mood before I came. So open that damn mouth of yours and start shitting out the crap that you wanna tell me or else I am going." Annabeth stared right at Leo, as if her eyes could burn a hole in Leo's head.

"Percy was drugged by the Stolls instructed by Castellan." Under Annabeth's demanding questioning glare, daggers sending out from her forceful stare. He finally blurted out this.

"Damn my son of a bitch of an abusive ex-boyfriend." Annabeth cursed under her breath, but it was actually loud enough for their whole table to hear. She slammed her fist on the table. "Thank you Valdez. See I do not bite. Now stop hiding when you see me next time." She looked him in the eye and said this in a very slow speed, but not threatening. She gave the table one last look, using her eyes she signaled the other two girls that she was leaving. They nodded at her in return.

Manhattan was a city that never sleeps, the street were still busy as ever, although the sky was black, but it still felt like the morning, and certainly still looked like a morning. New York was a city that never rests.

Annabeth wanted to get everything out of her mind. She had gotten too much information in one night. It was too much to take in. She blamed herself for blaming Percy all these six years. She blamed herself for not confronting Percy. Then again, she remembered Percy's answer to her question when she asked him

 _You've seen what you're suppose to see._

She was still mad at him for him. But then, he was drugged, so he couldn't be as conscious as he looked. Annabeth didn't really know what to think. She just wanted to get everything off her mind right now, and the place she was going was a place that only Thalia and herself knew. They didn't dare to tell the others.

* * *

Walking in that house, she saw Thalia in the same place as the first time they went there. She remembered vaguely Thalia bringing her here to get her mind off Percy after that night.

The thick milky smoke coming out from different mouthes from different tables engulfed her instantly after she step foot in the door. She inhaled deeply, tasting the familiar smell she had smelt the first time she came, this time, she didn't resist it. She found it quite relaxing. Looking around while walking towards Thalia, she found this place hadn't change since five years ago. It was still the same. It was still the same place with a lot more people.

Moaning could be heard from everywhere. People strip dancing like there were no one else in that place. Dancing or twerking on top of a counter was also commonly seen. Having sex with a stranger was more than common in that place. You didn't have to know who you were hooking up with nor the person you were stripping. Unconscious body laying everywhere. Stepping on something that was soft, then you'd have to look down to find that you stepped on someone. She carefully walked to where Thalia was. They were at a corner, but still enough smoke mist to cover them up. This place was what they call a clear house, a place where people could go and ease their mind after a stressful day.

What she remembered the most clearly was that the last time they came they were smoking from a pipe. It was simply just plain weed or marijuana - depends which name you like, the weakest type, since they were first timer. This time, she saw Thalia with cocaine patches on her forearm. She had her eyes closed and was breathing in the smoke clouded above their corner. Annabeth walked near Thalia and picked up the unused patches and put them on her self.

She pulled her sleeve up, staring at the long cut scar while attaching the patches on them absently. Revealing what looked like a tattoo from a distance, but it certainly wasn't a tattoo if you took a close look. She sat down on the chair stiffly, still looking at her long scar on her forearm.

 _-Flash Back-_

 _Annabeth was practicing her valedictory speech. It was only the next day after that party. She had her script in her hands as she sat down on the floor leaning against her bed, her knees bent. She put her arms on her knees and still had the script in her hands. She wanted to think it as a normal night. Thalia and Nico were doing whatever they usually does on a normal Saturday night. She looked like she was studying the speech, but her mind wasn't even close to thinking about the valediction._

 _She was thinking about her life in the past. Everything that she had done, every people she had contacted. She remembered vaguely about her relationship with Luke, because her relationship with Percy had been engraved deeply in her skull, and it would never be erased. Only the relationship with Percy would cause her to think of death. She had always thought death was just a way to vent out all the pain a person was going through. And at that precise moment, she thought of herself, she wasn't hesitating anymore, she wanted to be done, be done with everything, everyone in her life. She didn't care anymore. All that didn't matter anymore._

 _She stood up and went to the toilet, eyeing her reflection in the mirror, she no longer see the confident smart girl with calculating grey eyes, all she saw was a girl with puffed red eyes and a black ring around it. On the pale white face with a pair of broken grey eyes. She saw no tears in those eyes but they looked like broken glass. She promised herself to only cry one night on Percy, only one. But she couldn't take it anymore, tears warmed up her cheeks once again. She had been shedding tears the whole night, and she vowed not to shed any tears anymore, but she couldn't help it when she saw her broken self in the mirror. Tears poured out of her eyes, sliding down her cheeks._

 _She had promised herself not to let this one incident ruin the rest of her life; she vowed to forget what had happened; she made an oath to never go into romance again; she also pledge to herself that she would not live anymore if this incident was going to be the reason she suffered from depression. And yet, all those commitment was broken with just one look, one look in the mirror. She closed her eyes and picked up the knife that was somehow laying beside her hand on the counter. She took a deep breath and walked out of bathroom door and went back into her room. She sank down to the same spot she was at before she went to the bathroom._

 _Venting anger on herself was just like swiping a credit card, she thought it wasn't hard. She ignored the speech draft next to her. She was in the same position as before. She put the blade on her inner forearm near her wrist. The suicide she heard about was just a simple cut through the wrist, but Annabeth wanted more._

 _She had suffered enough. First her family, then her first love, the second time she gave her heart to someone they failed her too. Her friends never understood what she was suffering from, nobody did. She went to therapists, but they didn't help. The break up with Percy was the last straw, it ignited all the agony and anger she wanted to get off her chest, and all the pressure, the stress that she had. A swipe with the blade with enough energy would end all the pain, agony and angst._

 _Putting the sharp blade on her wrist. She didn't want to just leave a small cut, she wanted something big, she wanted to torture herself, because she knew she wasn't worth living anymore, her life was wasted. She lost her last hope in life. Closing her eyes, and she pressed the blade into her arm. Slowly, painfully and torturously, she slid the blade deeper into her flesh. As she continue to pull the blade as deep as possible towards her body. She stopped at her elbow joint. Her whole arm was already covered in red. Everywhere around her was wet with blood, her valedictory speech draft was stain red with her blood. She didn't feel the pain, she couldn't. She laid her head back on to her mattress, and dropped her hand with the blade, leaving the bleeding arm on her knee. With her eyes still closed she would feel the liquid pouring out and flowing everywhere. She felt herself getting empty. Every emotion was poured out and away along with the red puddle of blood slowly forming around her. Void was the only thing she felt._

 _She heard foot steps getting close, but she didn't bother to hide nor to move away. Thalia froze at the door. She motioned to Nico to come. Both them stood at the doorway not really sure what to do. Annabeth opened her eyes slowly, and turned her head towards the door still with her head leaning on the mattress. Thalia took in the surroundings and let out a scream. She never screamed, but this time, it was so much different. Both of them rushed in at the same time, Thalia went to grab a towel and Nico came to check how much blood had she lost. Annabeth just stayed where she was, didn't even bother to open her eyes once more. She let them did whatever they think was appropriate. She felt Thalia applying stuff on her cut, but she didn't bother to do anything. She didn't feel like she was alive, she didn't feel human, she just felt like she was a empty shell in human shape._

 _She vaguely remember herself applying makeup around her closing wound and on her face in the following Monday morning. She made sure to made the wound look like a tattoo. She was sure that nobody would show a damn concern to her about her change, because the only person that would notice the slightest change in her was Percy, and now she had cut of her relationship with him. Or, at least she thought she did._

"Wanna try something stronger?" Thalia's voice cut through her thought. Annabeth nodded distractedly. Thalia handed her a needle and also a small pipe. Annabeth took it not really thinking what she was into. They were lucky that they were not addicted, they were only users according to Sherlock Holmes, they used drugs to get their mind clear or divert their thoughts from something. She injected the needle into herself like a pro, as if that was her daily life. Thalia was also experienced. The small pipe only contained very little amount of heroin, it wouldn't cause any damage to your health, but it was enough for them to ease their mind and get whatever was bothering them off their mind right now.

Breathing in the drug mixed smoke that literally swallowed them, Annabeth slowly put the drug pipe near her mouth. She was about to inhale the new item, Thalia blurted out something that caused Annabeth to almost drop everything she was holding and faint.

"I'm dating Luke."

Now that there was one more thing to add on her already busy mind.

"As in Luke Castellan." Thalia added. Annabeth was still listening, she wanted to know the reason behind this. She knew that Thalia was right by her side when she was suffering from the breakup with Luke. "I saw him yesterday." She paused a little to breath in another mouthful of heroin. Annabeth didn't move an inch, she wasn't even looking at Thalia, she was simply staring in front just to think and also to process what Thalia had just said. Annabeth was slowly inhaling from the pipe. "We had a coffee, and he told me what he was doing these days. He told me he changed and he regret what he had done in college. He thought that was so naive of him. He did prove to me that he had changed." Thalia continued, and Annabeth huffed at the last comment.

"You were always jealous of me because Luke asked me out instead of you. Don't act like I didn't know." She turned her head, and looked at Thalia sharply. "What you didn't know is that all of that was an act, he used me to fulfill his lust, and when I didn't give in, he dumped me, and took revenge on me. He thought I was an easy target. You knew he had true feelings for you and yet, you let him ruined me. Grace, I let that slide when you didn't become the obstacle in between, I never hold grudges you know that. But what I can't fucking believe is that you are still not over him after what, six years. I never blamed you for not stopping me when I figured all that out, but what you did was unforgivable, I will be taking it as a personal revenge from you Grace." Annabeth said in a deadly calm voice. "Now. Get. Lost." She hissed and turned away from Thalia. For the first time, Thalia was actually thinking of what she had done and not let rage over took her.

She stood up slowly, and walked out the club. Annabeth was still smoking. She ordered a cup of pure vodka. She needed those strong elements to get her mind off what she just heard. She was inhaling more and more from that pipe. She felt betrayed, betrayed by her best friend for almost twenty years.

* * *

Thalia got up and went to a bar. She was drinking quietly, and for the first time in her whole life, she was thinking, reflecting on what she had done to Annabeth. She wasn't a heavy drinker like Annabeth, she couldn't take in a lot of alcohol. Before she knew it, she was already drunk as shit. Stumbling she found her way to Piper's place.

She knocked on the door, and leant on it to stable herself. Piper opened the door just to find a drunk Thalia stumbling in. She immediately reached out to stable her, leading her to the sofa. Thalia plopped down next to the two boys who were playing the now paused video game.

 _Drunken Thalia was found by our door. Won't speak. She was about to fight with Jason. Need ur help — Piper_

Annabeth was now sipping her second vodka, she had done smoking. The drug in the air was enough for her. On her forearm she still had the patches. When she got Piper's text, when she spot Thalia's name, she didn't even bother to read the next and just stuffed her phone back into her pocket. Holding the cup with both hands, she placed both her elbows on the counter and placed the cup near her lips, inhaling the strong alcohol, and sipping it once in a while. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be shut out of the world and was drowning in her own thinking world bubble. Her phone vibrated again. She reluctantly pulled it out and took a peek at the screen, but it was enough for her to respond, because if she didn't, then her phone would be broken because of the constant vibrating.

 _HELP! THALIA FIGHTING WITH JASON! DUNNO WHAT TO DO! — P_

 _Get Jackson — Chase_

She replied, because she knew Piper would blew up her phone with texts even calls if she didn't respond. She didn't want anything to do with Thalia right now.

 _He had no idea too. I NEED YOU!_ _PLEASE! — P_

She didn't bother to reply anymore. She finished the rest of her beverage in one gulp, and stood up. Walking slowly to the door, she grabbed two cigarettes from a counter near the door, and a lighter, and walked out. Slowly she walked to Percy's apartment with Jason. She knew that if she showed up very late Percy would be thinking of something to break the apart, so she was just their to wait for Thalia.

Walking up to their front step, she stopped. His front door was always hidden in shadows, if they didn't turn on the light then it would be completely dark except for the moonlight. She took out a cigarette and lit it with the lighter. She leant against the wall on next to their front steps. Under the moonlight she could see the welcome mat on the floor before the door, and a small, almost invisible lump that indicated the spare key Percy always hid under. She put the smoke into her mouth, and put her other hand in her pants pocket. She was staring upwards at the sky and the moon which was not so bright this night. Exhaling as slowly as she inhaled, rings of smoke came out of her mouth and into the air. It was still visible under the dim moonlight.

She was half way through the cigar, the door opened.


	8. Eight

**A/N: So I got a notification saying that a guest reviewed in Chapter 5 saying that they don't understand why Annabeth didn't give a chance to Percy when he came to explain. First of all, I wanted to say thank you for the review. Also since you are an unregistered user, I can only answer your question here, if you wanted one; and secondly I'm sorry to cause this confusion.**

 _ **Guest: I dont understand ...Annabeth is saying Percy didnt explain...but in last chapter when hecameto explain she didnt gave him a chance...whats with the hypocrisy?**_

 **I hope this will answer will answer your question, and I hope that this answer would clear some of your confusions. So as Annabeth had herself in Chapter 4 when Piper told her to go talk to him and listen to Percy's explanation, she said that she wasn't ready to hear his explanation, but she didn't say that Percy didn't explain, so I think maybe you misunderstood that part. When Percy went to find her in the backstage in Chapter 5, you understand it as Annabeth didn't give him a chance, but what I actually wanted express is that Annabeth didn't want to talk to him alone, in private, because I think I had mentioned somewhere in front that Percy is still her weakness. And also the nickname startled her. She said that she wanted to move on but when it comes to sentimental stuff, it was easy said than done. It is not hypocrisy, when it comes to feelings people usually can't control them, they can't choose who they love. Annabeth was just confused, and her pride is also in the way. I hope this made sense.**

* * *

 _The door opened..._

A drunken Thalia supported by Percy came out. Annabeth knew it was her cue. She continued to smoke as if they didn't exist, and nothing happened. Out of the corner of her eye, she was eyeing Percy and Thalia as they stumbled near her. None of them noticed the smoking girl their. But her next move would scare the shit out of both of them.

They approached her, still noticed by none of them. Annabeth dropped the almost finished cigarette, and with one swift move, she grabbed Thalia who was leaning against Percy and pinned her on the wall but the neck. Her other hand went up to her mouth to prevent her from making any noise. Thalia was too drunk to register what just happened. Her back slumped against the cold hard brick wall. Percy was too shock to do anything. He stood their trying to squint out the attacker. His jaw dropped when he heard the voice from the attacker, even when she was growling in a threatening voice, he would still make out at once.

"Don't come to me crying your ass out after he hurt you. Consider yourself warned Grace." Annabeth spat in a growl while holding on her collar with both hands. Her face were inches with Thalia's. She searched Thalia's eyes after she said this for any amusement or understanding or even anger, but all she got was fear, fear washed over her whole face. Annabeth dropped Thalia when she got the satisfying answer. She walked away as if nothing had happened.

Nobody knew where she went expect for Percy. The direction Annabeth had gone to wasn't the main street, it was an even darker alleyway.

Percy initially planned to bring her home and give her to either Annabeth or Nico, but witnessing Annabeth's action he changed his mind. He gave Thalia to his driver and told him to drive her back, and he went to that alleyway. When he reached there he saw a dark figure leaning against one of the brick walls. Under the dim moonlight, he could see smoke coming out of a stick that was stuck in that figure's mouth. The figure had one foot closer to the wall and another in front. He could register her long curly hair, and also could tell that she had a pair of very long legs. She was tall, taller than average girls her age, but was still short. Percy's heart clenched when he knew that this smoking figure was Annabeth Chase, the girl that he still loves.

After today, after the car accident, he thought that she didn't want him in her life anymore. She was cold to everything and everyone around her. Her makeup was heavier each day. She started smoking and she smelt like drugs. Percy didn't want her to turn into a person that drinks and take drugs to drown her sorrow. He was willing to do everything to get her to stop, only if she allowed him. He knew her ability, both physically and mentally. Even if she was distant, even if she act like she didn't want him around, it still hurts to know what she got herself into.

Percy put his hands in his pockets and looked down as he slowly approached the standing figure. Smoke was unhurriedly came out of Annabeth's mouth like rings under the dim moonlight, he could see Annabeth holding the cigar with her right hand and another one was hugged around her waist. She was looking slightly to the right, to the direction her cigarette was pointing. She heard Percy's footstep but didn't bother to turn around.

"Don't, Annabeth stop that." Percy stood a distance from Annabeth looking at her. Annabeth was about to put the smoke back into her mouth. However she stopped at Percy's words. She dropped her right hand and let the cigarette burn slowly near her thigh. He thought he would be stronger in front of her, he thought that calling her last name would work, but it turns out that he just couldn't bring himself to call her Chase instead of Annabeth, it just didn't sound right rolling on his tongue.

"What do you want Jackson? It's past midnight." Annabeth said coolly, turning around and observed the man stood near her.

"So I've been told." Percy said, looking back at the ground hands still in his pocket. "I wanted to talk."

Annabeth resisted the urge to continue smoking, she still rested her hand next to her thigh with the cigarette still burning and letting out some faint smoke, the weak smell was still enough for her right now. "Go on." She was staring in front. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Percy walking forward and leant against the wall next to her with a 'thump'. She didn't faze.

"What happened to Thalia? And why do you smell like a drug bucket?" He asked, eyeing Annabeth suspiciously at the second question.

"Why do you care." She bitterly, still not turning to look.

There was a pause, Percy stared back at the wall. He noticed that Annabeth had folded both her arms in front of her chest now and still had that cigarette lighted, but not smoked, it was burning on its own sending smells upwards occasionally.

"Because I care about my family. You're family, Annabeth." He said in a small voice. Annabeth didn't want to say anything about Thalia and Luke, heck, she didn't even want to mention Luke's name in front of Percy. She knew more about what Luke did than Percy does. If she told him about Thalia then she would blurt out the truth about the party, that night when Calypso made out with Percy. She knew that she had already forgiven Percy, but she was still not sure if she wanted the sentimental stuff, she didn't felt ready about it.

"Fine. You're not comfortable telling me about Thalia, then what about you? Where have you been? You smell like a drug bucket with alcohol spilled on it." Percy sighed and asked, looking hopefully at her once more, hoping he could get something out of her again.

Again, if she got into detail then she knew she might accidentally hurt Percy's feelings because she didn't know what to feel. A little part of her also felt annoyed by the questions. She wanted to tell him that she went to a night club, and that's it, just a night club, not going to tell the reason and she would not be telling him what she did before she went. Yet what came out of her mouth wasn't something she expected.

"What is this, an inquiry to a kidnapper?" It came out rather harsh. She immediately regretted those words. She looked up to Percy, for the first time. What she was expecting was anger, but she saw hurt in his eyes. "Sorry." She blurted out much to both of them's surprise. Causing both of them too look at each other. Annabeth quickly avoided eye contact, and looked back down. Percy had some sort of hope shining in his eyes when he looked up, it was not pure surprise.

"It's okay." Percy looked back down studying his shoes.

"I went to a night club." Percy's shocked face made Annabeth blurt out the next thing that she shouldn't have told him. "It's only the second time."

That confession caused Percy to jerk away from the part of the wall he was leaning against and stood right in front or Annabeth. He walked closer to Annabeth and lifted her chin. He searched in her eyes trying to find prove that she was lying, but she couldn't, he was staring into a pair of blank grey eyes. His findings made him wanted to break down right this moment.

"When is the first?"

He caged her with one hand and trying to make her remain eye contact with him using another hand. Annabeth knew better not to look into those broken eyes. She knew the minute she blurt out that confession he would be more than disappointed, and she regretted it. She didn't regret going there but she regret blurting it out.

She closed her eyes and faced the sky tilting her head slightly to the opposite direction of Percy's hand.

"You don't need to know Percy."

"Look at me. Please. Annabeth." Percy's voice was broken, he was pleading at Annabeth. "Annabeth," Percy started softly. He was still trying to turn her face. She put rest her hand on his arm that held her chin, she was debating whether to make him stop or continue. She let go of the cigarette, it fell on to the floor still ignited. "You've went there two time, I don't know how many times will you be going there in the future, but you need to stop. I don't care if you can't tell me what happened. I don't care if you still want me in your life anymore. You need to quit going there. All I wanted is for you to live healthily. Annabeth, I'm pleading you, please, don't go there anymore. Just promise me you will stay out of drugs and alcohol. Please tell me you're not addicted."

"I'm a user. It helps me think."

He let out a small chuckle which formed a smile on Annabeth's face.

"Sherlock Holmes aren't we?"

"Thought you won't remember." Annabeth teased. Leaning away from the wall.

He let out a laugh.

"You should be going back, it's late." Annabeth said with a sigh.

"Promise me." Annabeth looked at him. "Promise me you will not be going next to drugs and alcohol anymore. The only time you will be drinking is with me. Promise me this and I'll go."

Annabeth nodded. "Okay. I promise."

Percy smiled. He resisted the urge to kiss her. He let go of his hand on the wall and turned around still with that smile plastered on his face. Annabeth leant back, and closed her eyes once more trying to get her ever so complicated live straight, and tried to register what had happened in the past few hours.

* * *

"Annabeth!" Silena yelled running into her room with a magazine in hand. She crashed on to her bed and bounced a little. An amused Beckendorf followed behind, he leant against Annabeth's door frame with his hands in his pockets and eyeing his girlfriend amusingly.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow at Beckendorf to make sure that Silena was alright. He shrugged but nodded.

Annabeth looked back at Silena expectantly.

"You. Are. On. The. Vogue!" She squealed each word out.

"Geez, down girl." Annabeth still had her hands covered over her ears.

"You know, I found an article on here about you and Percy." She said nonchalantly while flipping through the magazine for god knows how many times.

"What did you say?" She narrowed her eyes at Silena who was trying not to squeal anymore.

"Look." Silena shoved the magazine into Annabeth's face. It had a picture of Annabeth and a picture of Percy put together. Annabeth's was the one on tour and Percy's was him staring at his phone with his eyebrow scrunched together while walking on the street.

Annabeth only had to glance at the title to know what was it about.

 _Percy Jackson's first rock star?_

 _Why was he in a hurry after he got the call from rock star Annabeth Chase. He ditched his date and vanished from New York._

Annabeth only read these two lines and she already know that the press had filtered out some of the important information such as she didn't call him, they used her phone to call him. It was not her on the end of that phone call. In fact, she was lying unconscious, probably in the surgery room when he received the call.

She groaned. "Why? God dammit! Why can't they just freaking get that it was not me who called. I was in a freakin' brain surgery when they used my phone!"

"Then why didn't they call your family instead of Percy?" She teased knowing the answer perfectly well, but she still need that answer out of her mouth.

"Because they are too dumb to unlock my phone."

"So, they can't just invade your privacy like that can't they. And how come they were allowed to call Percy when your phone is locked?" She smiled, it was right now the most annoying thing to Annabeth. She knew what she wanted to hear, but she didn't want to say it.

"C'mon, you know the reason don't you."

Annabeth picked up the magazine and threw it at Silena playfully.

"Fine, you wanna know. He's on speed dial. Happy? Now outta my room." Annabeth waved her hand and shooed her away. Silena chuckled and left the room, but not before doing a victory dance.

Annabeth sat there on her bed, she didn't know what to think, now that the press suspect her relationship with Percy. Its not that she didn't have a history with him, she just didn't fancy the press that much like Percy. She decided to spent that afternoon on the couch in her room reading. It had been quite some time since she last touched a book. It felt good with papers in her hands instead of phone and computers.

Alas. She was not allowed to rest in peace long enough. Her phone buzzed. She was forced to go and check that message, a disadvantage of being a celebrity. She sighed, marked the page, and put it aside. She stood up walked to her nightstand and picked up her still charging phone. She almost faint at the name of the person who sent her this text. She never expected him to be sending one, they hadn't text each other nor call one another in five years.

 _Meet me Starbucks (u know which 1) tonight round 8 — Percy_

She was shocked, she never thought Percy would text her, let along see her. She didn't know what to feel nor how. She stared at the screen, didn't even realized that it locked again itself. She didn't know whether to go or not. Sure she wanted to tell him that she knew the whole truth, but she still wasn't sure how she felt about Percy. She knew she still cares and loves him, but she wasn't sure if she could handle something intimidating or emotional.

It was nearly six when she received that message, never knew she had already read that long.

Deciding to find something to eat before going to her rendezvous.

Nico was constantly not home recently, she didn't know why, she thought maybe he was seeing someone, because she noticed how he seemed to be happier these days.

Her relationship with Thalia was still not fixed and they still hadn't talk since that encounter at night. Them as a band announce that they were on hiatus, since Annabeth wasn't in the mood to perform with Thalia and Nico was always out seeing someone that he wasn't willing to share with her.

Thinking about her situation as she sauntered to her favorite eatery. It was a Cantonese restaurant, the boss there was a friend of hers. Frank greeted her the same, and asked her if she would like her usual. Frank didn't treat her differently after she become famous, which she was thankful for. She sat there waiting for her food, she was chatting with Frank as usual.

"Heard that you got yourself a girl?" She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly, and that caused her old friend to blush out of embarrassment.

He nodded. "How'd you know?"

"An advantage of being famous."

"It's been sometime since you last came." He sighed and looked down after a small pause.

Annabeth smiled. "Yea. Will you know life is getting complicated each day."

"Care to fill me in? I'm stuck in here anyway."

"Ha, sure." She let out a little relieving laugh. "You have no idea how much the media and press likes to meddle with your personal life. Being famous isn't something you will want, trust me. I learned the hard way." And so she ate while briefly told him about the paparazzi and the car crash. She didn't mention the fight she and Thalia had and also her relationship with Percy.

"Whoo, I'm sorry to hear about the accident. But you seemed fine now." He smiled a little, and waved at Annabeth who was standing up ready to leave.

"Hey, bring someone here next time. You look lonely." Frank added before she left. Annabeth laughed, and nodded half-heartedly.

Walking on the street of the night time Manhattan, for the first time, Annabeth didn't fish out her phone to scroll through Twitter or social media, she looked at the buildings, and analyzing the architectural structure of each building as she walked passed. She was in a light mood surprisingly. She didn't even know why, maybe her little chat with Frank helped or maybe because Thalia and Nico were both not home while she was; or maybe because Percy sent her the first text in five years. She didn't know, and she didn't care.

Pushing through the glass door, automatically her eyes looked to the booth she and Percy always sat in when they came to this cafe. She spot the mop of black hair. She was sort of surprised to see Percy waiting here, and it was not eight yet. He had two cups on the table, she assumed that one of them was for her. She secretly hoped that he still remembered to order her favorite.

She gladly walked to that place and sat down on the opposite, causing Percy to look up from his phone. He smiled when he saw her.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You're early."

"Surprisingly you're the one waiting."

"Ironic isn't it Wise Girl." They both let out a light laugh. "Here's yours, since it is not working hours I ordered your second favorite." He pushed the cup to her, it was still warm.

"You still remembered didn't you." He nodded and smiled. They both sipped their drinks. Annabeth smiled at the taste, she hadn't had it in five years. Yes, five years, because now come to think of it, she usually chose black coffee, and only Percy would be buying it for her. She didn't want to spend that much money on a cup of beverage so she always order plain coffee, and only Percy would spoil her, getting what she want. She smiled at that memory.

"What are ya smiling at?"

"Oh, nothing. By the way, I have to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"What's with you and all those models?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't play dumb Percy, you knew exactly what I'm talking about. I just wanna know why?"

"To gain your attention, like I told you in the hospital. But anyway I'm not doing that anymore." He shrugged.

"Oh really?" She knew there was more, so she was going to push it.

"Fine. I tried to move on from you."

"Ha, I knew it. I knew there was more than just to attract my attention, you were trying to make me jealous weren't you?" She narrowed her eyes playfully and pointed a finger at him. Strangely, she was in a surprising good mood, usually she would be getting a little angry by this point, but today, she didn't.

He shrugged. "Maybe."

"Oh just admit it Seaweed Brain." She said teasingly to the innocent looking Percy. "Fine, whatever you say Perce. Now moving on. Why did you summon me today?"

"Because I failed to move on." He replied scratching his chin.

"Ha, I knew you wouldn't succeed. I knew that from the start. See, that's exactly why I chose not to do so, because I know this would get me into more emotional stuff." She said in a matter of fact tone.

"Still logical and wise aren't ya."

"Duh." She gave him a pointed look, and he returned with one of his goofy grins. Annabeth reach out a hand and flicked his forehead playfully. Percy pouted, and that made Annabeth laughed, which he smiled. He missed her laughs.

"Oh by the way, I need to tell you something." Suddenly getting seriously.

"Okay…" Annabeth replied unsurely.

"You know Luke?"

"Which one?" Annabeth said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"He's a trafficker, involved in drugs."

Annabeth's eyes widened, she thought back about Thalia's confessions, and she realized something.

"Shit." She cursed.

"Annabeth language. I know I swear sometimes, but I don't like it when you did."

"Fuck!" Ignoring Percy's comment. "This is getting more than complicated." She stood up abruptly. "Sorry Percy, I have to go. I promise I will be filling you in when the time's right." She pecked him on the cheek out of his surprise and left with her drink in her hand.

* * *

 **A/N: I would also like to thank AnnaUnicorn, Pelaito, lunarchroniclesandcockatiel, codename for reviewing!**


	9. Nine

**A/N: Hi people, I'm glad you all liked my writing and this story. I'm sorry to not update in a while, because as the story gets more and more complicated the more writer's block I'm going to be suffering, so please understand that. Let me just assure you that this story is far from over, and I will keep writing, I promise I will finish this one. Also, this story was labeled as Hurt/Comfort genre, but it also contains drama and sorts. And when people get together, it is not the end of the story and it will not be the end of the world, you can coo about it, you can squeal, you can hit me (if you can) do whatever you want, but just remember that it is not the end of the story.**

 **Again, sorry for not updating sooner, and that's the reason why I don't announce the time of the next update, because I know I wouldn't finish the chapter by that date.**

 **Anyway, sorry one last time for not updating in a while. Here's the update, and hope you will enjoy it.**

* * *

A day had past since her rendezvous with Percy. A whole two days had past since their midnight encounter. She saw Nico home yesterday as she rushed home. They were both worried about Thalia, she would've been doing anything right now with Luke. She could even be in danger. But Annabeth was convinced that Thalia was Luke's only weakness, and she would always be, so she thought he wouldn't hurt her, at least she would be safe.

Annabeth couldn't sleep. She was lying on her bed in the dark, staring in the direction of the ceiling. She didn't change into her pjs, she was in the clothes she wore when she went out. Tons of things had been swirling in her mind in the past few hours as she laid there. She tried to close her eyes and hoped to drift into sleep, but nothing happened. Her imagining Thalia been kidnapped, her been endanger always jerked her eyes open. She knew she shouldn't be caring about her right now, because she had already made her choice very clear.

The door opened. Annabeth hoped it was Thalia coming home. She glanced at the clock. It was already two in the morning. She got up and went to the door just to check. She was about to say Thalia's name when a deep voice greeted her first.

"Hey Annie."

She shut her eyes close, hands still on the staircase handle trying to keep her balance. He was the last person she was hoping to hear from, and now he was in her house standing in front of her with his hands snaked around her best friend's waist. She took a deep breath and ran past the two, grabbing her keys on the way to the still opened door.

"Annabeth!" Thalia's voice came out worried as Annabeth slammed the door shut without a word spoke from her mouth. She started her car and drove out of the driveway not even thinking where she would be going. She stopped the car in another driveway. She didn't even know that she had came to Percy's apartment.

Annabeth killed the engine and sat there trying to get things straight. She had no idea why she came to Percy in the first place, but she didn't care, it would be her only place to crash when Thalia had made it quite clear to her. She banged her head on the steering wheel. Damn! How could she be this obtuse. When Thalia slipped these words out of her mouth that night, she had already made her choice, she made it clear that she had chosen what she wanted instead of what's good. And this night, when she came home with Luke, it was her signal of kicking her out of the house. God, how could she be so stupid. She was not only angry at herself for not realizing this sooner, she also blamed herself for trusting Thalia too much, she knew perfectly well about Thalia's feelings towards Luke. Damn, she was bad at emotions and relationships. She got of the car and stepped into the chilly November wind. She hoped this would ease her anger, but it didn't help.

Getting in using her own copy of the keys, because she didn't want to wake up whoever was sleeping. She went straight upstairs into Percy's room, but didn't see him there. His bed was empty. She plumped herself down onto his bed, turning off the big light and flicking on the bed lamp. She didn't felt tired, she felt betrayed, and she really wanted to wash that feeling away. She remembered promising Percy that she would drink less, so she didn't went straight to drinking when she got kicked out of her own house by Thalia. Thinking about this made her almost ceased anger flamed again.

She suddenly felt too hot under the heater in his house. Her cheeks were starting to turn red because of the temperature. She didn't want to feel warm right this moment. She took of her clothes leaving on her shorts and her sports bra on. Throwing her clothes in a pile on the floor, she went down stairs to the kitchen quietly.

Flicking on the blinding white light she opened the cabinet that she remembered that used to store alcohols. There she found a bottle of not opened vodka. She took that out without hesitation, and closed the cabinet door. Clicking off the light again she sat down, not even bothered to take a cup. She started to sip the spirit. She didn't feel anything. She couldn't. All those thoughts about Luke and Thalia wrapped around her and bounded her for thinking of anything else. She didn't even wonder why Percy's wasn't home at this time of the night.

Staring off into darkness, mind half empty, still sipping her vodka frequently. She didn't know Piper saw her; she also didn't know that the kitchen light had been on. She was startled by a voice, it was deep, but not as scary as Luke's, at least this one doesn't give her nightmares, this one usually calms her.

"What the fuck Annabeth!" Percy walked straight to Annabeth and took the liquor from her hand putting it on the counter opposite of her. She looked up and saw him in a mess. She frowned and went to take a closer look. She smelled alcohol on him. Her frown became a scowl. She narrowed her eyes and looked up to observe his face.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

"My dad's" He shrugged. Sitting down on the opposite of the table.

"The fuck you're doing there?"

"Birthday party."

"Damn you! You knew perfectly well what his parties were like, yet you went. Drinking at this time wasn't even on my to-do list, I came here for a reason. You promised me to stay away from women, or were you lying to me when you said that you stopped 'acting' as a womanizer."

He looked down, fiddling with her fingers and said nothing.

"Care to explain why did you came back with torn clothes. Heck why did you even came back if you were having fun eating their makeup?" Ignoring the fact that it was probably true that he lied to her about he stopped 'being' a philanderer.

"Because Piper texted me."  
Her eyes widened.

"She saw me?" She gasped, but soon turned into anger. "So if it wasn't Piper, you were not even planning on coming back weren't you." She sighed dramatically, "oh I should have known not to trust you."

"Yes. She was shocked by the way you're drinking so she didn't dare to come close so she called me and I came back at once." Ignoring the last sentence she said. He wasn't going to fight with her right now.

"Well, fuck you. I kept my promise to you. Drinking wasn't my top choice, but since my comfort, aka you, are not home, so I had to skip to my second choice. But what about you, you weren't even considering coming back tonight. You know I have trust issues and you also know my past with Luke. Do I need to tell you anything more about my family? Do you need to know that how long did it took for me to trust you? Do I need to repeat how long the cut is in my heart? I thought you knew perfectly well Percy." She snapped at him. "I thought I could trust you like I did with Thalia and Nico. I trusted you and all your cousins. One had now betrayed me, I'm not sure if this is you telling me to fuck off." She put her elbow on the table and leaned her head in to her hand. She looked at the table, not knowing what to do. She looked up as Percy got up. She thought he was going to leave like she said, but he went to her side and picked her up. He carried her to his room bridal style, and she didn't even protest. Probably because of the amount vodka she drank. He put her on his bed and took off his clothes.

"I'm going to take a shower, because I know you're gonna hate me if I don't."

Annabeth didn't reply she just sat up. Staring into space once again.

Percy came out with only his boxers. He panicked a little when he didn't see Annabeth in bed. He looked around to find Annabeth leaning against his closet flipping through the old photos, but that was not his main focus, he was drooling over her body. Still that lean body, he loved it more with her in tank tops showing off her abs and also showing off her long legs. Especially that tattoo he loved on her inner thigh, which only he had seen it. Her golden curls fell naturally into her face, blocking the view from outsiders. In this case, Percy.

A smirk creeped on to her face. She didn't need to look up to know that Percy was checking her out again.

"Like what you see?"

"Sure. Still love that tattoo of yours."

She closed the book slowly, and walked seductively towards Percy. Putting a hand on his chest. Inching closer and closer while tendering his bare chest.

"Which one?" She asked slowly. A smirk slowly forming on her lips.

"The one that only I'm allowed to see." He smirked, and earned himself a smack in the chest by Annabeth, but he didn't care. He was still smiling by the fact that Annabeth was inches from him. He cherished this moment like he did to all the moments he shared with her.

Pulling both of them back onto the bed. He turned off the big light and left the small lantern on his nightstand on. He propped against his elbow and looked up at the still seated Annabeth.

"Hey, tell me what's wrong? You came to me at the middle of the night…" Reaching for her hand.

"And you were not home, not even planning on coming back. Why should I trust you." Smacking his hand away.

"Whoa, what's with the mood swing? Is it because —"

"No, you know when that is." She glared at him, then looked at the ceiling and curled her legs up to hug it. She rested her chin on her knees as she closed her eyes. "Turn off the light." He did, but soon turned back when he saw that Annabeth still didn't move from her position.

"Hey —" He tried again. His voice was still soft and gentle.

"Let's just sleep. I'm tired. I still need to go to the studio tomorrow." Annabeth lied down and had her back to Percy.

"Tell me when you're ready, I'll always be by your side. You can trust me Annabeth." Annabeth just nodded tiredly, her eyes already half closed. Though in the back of her mind, she was still thinking about what had happened. She didn't know how would Percy react. Part of her wanted to tell him, but considering what he'd just done, she was doubting that if she really trusted him. Or if she really should give her trust to him one more time. She thought she had always trusted him, but now, she started to doubt herself. Trying to get some sleep, she closed her eyes.

No, she thought, he didn't have to know every single thing that was going on in her life, it was her life not his. He didn't have to know, and didn't have the need to do so. Finally deciding against the idea of finding comfort, she dozed off.

* * *

Annabeth couldn't sleep anymore, she looked at the clock for time, and saw that it was only six in the morning, she didn't really know what to do, but she also didn't want to lie in bed any longer. She quietly got up, carefully not to disturb Percy. She scribbled a not telling him that she went for a run and went to the studio afterwards, which wasn't a complete lie. She didn't went to a morning run, but she did plan on going to the studio.

Quietly putting her leather jacket and boots back on, she walked out of the house, locking the door behind her. Getting into her car, she sat there, trying to think how to get rid of the remaining time. It was only six anyway. She knew that Frank's would be opened by now. She slowly drove there. On the way, she was having an internal debate whether to let Percy in again or not. After five years, she was stronger, she had an invisible wall to block emotions away, she didn't need to pretend to be anything, because she couldn't feel it. That wall was built to block the emotions from the outside from going in, and also it blocked away the emotions from coming out. She had always had trust issues especially when it comes to males. She spent two full years to fully gave her trust to Percy, yet that little incident, or rather misunderstanding broke it all. The wall of emotions and trust arose again, her trust for Percy had went almost all the way down. A very tiny part of her still trusted him fully, but no, she didn't want to make that tiny part dominate her whole. She closed her eyes briefly as she stopped in front of Frank's shop. It was been decided, she would not tell anyone about her inner battles, her feelings, and her fears. Not even to Percy.

Now that Thalia had betrayed their friendship. At least that was the case in Annabeth's opinion. Her trust for Thalia's cousin, Percy, decreased also. Not that she didn't trust their family, she still had faith in Sally, but she wasn't really sure if Percy would betray her like Thalia did. Percy's reputation in hollywood had finally effected Annabeth's view on Percy. She was naive enough to think that Percy would really stop doing what he did.

If she was to block everyone out, then why not block her feelings as well, why not include Percy in that list. Yes, this shall be settled.

She stepped out the car and locked it. Strolling into the door of the Chinese restaurant, she pushed open the door slowly, as if it was too heavy.

"Oh, surprised to see you here this early Annabeth." Frank said walking towards Annabeth.

"Good morning to you too, Frank." She sat down at her usual place. "Need help with anything?"

"Oh, no, it's fine, we're almost done setting up anyway. What do you need?"

"Just a friend." She shrugged, but didn't meet Frank's concerned eyes.

"What happened?"

"Er. Nothing important, it's fine." She smiled slightly, just to cover up the worries and thoughts she just had.

"You know I'm all ears right?" Annabeth nodded, still looking around at her surroundings.

"How's your girl then?" She asked Frank, finally looking at him.

"Um… We're good."

"Just good? Anything I need to know?" Annabeth started to twirl in her chair, but still keeping her face towards Frank's direction.

"Uh… No. You don't seem to be busy these days." Quickly changing the subject, because Frank was usually shy when it comes to his personal stuff. He didn't like strangers prying about his personal stuff, but when Annabeth did, he gets shy, and didn't really have the guts to tell Annabeth a lot.

"Oh, uh, yea, things happened, so yea. Didn't you know that after the accident our band announced a little break?"

"You know that I'm locked in this small diner, how would I know about the outside world?" He joked. Annabeth chuckled.

"I need to go now, it's nice chatting with you Frank." Annabeth stood up, checking the time on her phone. She had only spent about an hour there, but she wanted to walk around Manhattan. "I wanna see your girl next time." She winked and walked away.

The Annabeth with heavy make up was not suitable for a wink, but none of her friends actually had gotten used to her in heavy makeups. She didn't apply any this morning, due to the fact that she stayed over at Percy's, and she got up pretty early. A wink from Annabeth without makeup, yep, imaginable, but still didn't feel like her style.

Walking in to her own house, quietly, since it was just eight. She tip toed upstairs and went into her room. She was planning to have a band meeting at hers today, since they had been pausing for a while. Her relationship with Thalia should either be sorted out or put aside and continue the band. She leant against her doorway deep in thoughts.

Two people walked passed her not noticing her standing figure went downstairs and into the kitchen. When the lights were flicked on, that was when Annabeth was out of her trance, she snapped her head to the kitchen and asked quietly.

"Who was that?" Walking down the stairs to the kitchen. She saw Nico and another blonde guy who looked much more happier than Nico. "Is this the guy you're seeing and didn't tell me?" She crossed her arms and stared at Nico.

Nico panicked a little at Annabeth's posture, but what came out of his mouth wasn't something both the blond guy and Annabeth had expected.

"You look weird when you don't have makeup on." He muttered. Annabeth raised an amusing eyebrow, trying not to laugh.

"Okay, so I've been told. But seriously, Nico, who's this guy, care to introduce?" She asked gesturing to the blonde guy, ignoring Nico's internal panic attack which was quite obvious to the psychologist, aka Annabeth.

"Uh, okay, so this is Will, Will Solace. Annabeth, Annabeth Chase."

"Nice to finally meet you in person, Annabeth." Will stuck out his hand for Annabeth, which she shook, and nodded. She usually wouldn't show emotions in front of strangers, therefore, she there wouldn't be any facial expression on her face to decipher. It was just a poker face.

"So, Nico, you still haven't answer my question. Is this the guy you're seeing?"

"Oh, no, Annabeth, Nico and I —"

Will was cut off by Nico's hand on his mouth, more like slapping on it. "Yes, it's him." Nico looked back at Annabeth.

"Oh, good choice Di Angelo." Annabeth commented. "What are you two doing up so early?"

"Er… We… were just leaving." Nico spluttered out and stood up dragging the confused Will behind him.

Annabeth knew this wasn't the guy Nico was seeing, but she knew they were friends. Through Nico's every movement and emotion, Annabeth could tell that the guy Nico fancy didn't return the favor, so he was with a friend just trying to put all that behind him. It was odd that Nico didn't tell Annabeth who he was seeing, she knew that he wouldn't be shy in front of her, but why?

Slowly, she stood up and walked across the street to the cafe shop and ordered a cup of black coffee. That was what she drank when she needed to concentrate and think.

Walking back home it was already near ten. Probably time for their band discussion, and time for Nico to come back from whatever he was doing with Will. She walked into Thalia's room planning waking her up and talk with her briefly about her ideas on the band.

When she walked in, her room was pitch black. She used the dim light from her screen of her cellphone to make sure she wouldn't trip on anything while walking to the curtains. She made to the window without falling over, which was a relief. Pulling the heavy thick curtain open, she saw not one, but two people in bed. Looking closer, both of them were wearing no clothes, at least, from above the blanket. She felt a sudden anger rising from her stomach. She stomped out of Thalia's room and slammed the door close.

 _The band was maybe not the most important thing right now._ A small voice told her. Yes, that was totally correct. Her own relationship with Percy was fine compared to hers with Thalia's. Again, betrayal was what caused the rage.

"Silena… Shut up and listen to me. I told you that I was planning on having a meeting with the band and thinking of continuing right? Well, let's just forget that I mentioned that… Just drop it Lena, it's fine… Yes… Don't worry… No, no, no, you enjoy your vacation with Beckendorf, don't worry about us… Sorry to disturb you… Yea… Thanks… Okay… See you soon, bye." She sighed. Putting her phone back into her pocket, she heard there were footsteps coming down the stairs. She didn't want to know which of the naked ones was that, so she didn't turn around. Knowing that that person would start speaking first, she just stood there looking out the window.

"Annie."

"What do you want Thalia Grace? And how dare you call me Annie?" Annabeth spat coldly without even turning back. She didn't want to see the expression on her face, heck, she didn't even want to see her face right now.

Thalia went silent. That was quite unusual for the always straight-forward punk. Not that she cared right now. She grabbed her coat and her keys, and started to walk to the door.

"Where are you going?" Frankly, she had no idea about that, she just wanted to get out of the house. Deep down, she still wanted to mend her friendship with Thalia. They had a bond, they were like siblings, but now, she just didn't know how, and didn't want to let down her pride. She stopped in her track, and turned around slowly to face Thalia. What she showed Thalia was not a poker face, nor an angry face, but a cold, bitter face. She didn't care if Thalia couldn't read her like she read the others, but that was what she would be showing her for now.

"That's none of you business." She said every single word in a low voice, slow and clear. "Not that you care anyway." She turned around and slammed the door close, once again, in front of Thalia's face.

"Annabeth, we need to talk." Thalia shouted to the door.

Annabeth didn't bother to shout back, she didn't want to act like she was desperate, nor she wanted to be driven by emotions. Emotions should be ignored and not showed. She didn't even want to reply anything, she continued to walk to her car. Getting into it, she didn't know what she was doing, nor where she would go. So she just sat behind the wheel, staring in front and into space.

 _I don't remember welcoming that bastard?_

She pressed 'send' and locked her screen, she closed her eyes and leant backwards against her leather seat, trying to cease her anger. She started the engine. Not waiting for her respond, and not wanting to know her response. She slowly drove out of her driveway and onto the ever so busy street of Manhattan. Having no idea where she was heading, she drove along the main stream of cars.

Pulling over near a crowed of people, she put on her sunglasses to avoid from been swarmed by fans and paparazzi. She slowly got off the car and walked towards the crowd. She had no idea where she was when she got off, but when she looked around she found it awfully familiar. It was Percy's house. She had no idea what were the people doing around his house, but she didn't care, she walked towards the center to take a more closer look. Indeed, the great Percy Jackson (note the sarcasm) was standing outside signing off from fans. Luckily there wasn't a lot of cameras near them. Annabeth suddenly got the idea of chilling out on his sofa, since he was probably going to be busy for a while.

She snuck in his house from the back without anyone's notice and got in. Plopping on the bean bag and spreading herself out she went through what had happened so far since she left this place this morning.

She didn't know why she wanted to be in this place, but for now, all she could think of was that this was the only place she could chill out, and be out of the whole drama that was going on in her life. Nico seemed distant from her ever since he saw him with Will this morning. Usually he would reply to her texts, but this time, it was almost three in the afternoon, and Nico replied nothing to her text from this early morning. He seemed uncomfortable in front of her and she didn't know why. Then again, there was this whole Luka and Thalia problem. Also with her undetermined feelings for Percy. Her relationship with the people around her was a rack, nothing was normal, no one was on good terms with her. The only person that wanted to be close to her was Percy, but she pushed him away. She didn't want to get his hopes up just in case she hurt him unintentionally. Little did she know, she had already hurt him when he found out about her drug usage.

You call it hypocrisy, I call it uncertainty.

Her benevolence towards Percy seemed like an act, it seemed unreal. She trusted Thalia and Nico, because they help her went through her toughest time, despite that, Thalia's betrayal and Nico's indifferent attitude she learned that even though you put all your trust in this person, you still have to put your distance. Throughout the past five years, she had learned not to trust her choice in relationships, her choices in friends, and to kept distance whether you fully trust them or not.

She wasn't particularly interested in mending her friendship with any of them, because mending them meant it would be broken by another misunderstanding. She had suffered through enough, more than enough for a woman at this young age. Her dad wasn't really doing his duty as a dad, and his biological mom had abandoned her for some reason that she would never know. Not that she cared. Her relationship with her dad was never good, they never had those father-daughter relationships. Ever since his dad married an old witch, Helen, and had a twin with her, he was even more careless about her. Her existence did not mean anything to him anymore. In Helen's eyes, she was just a rebellious teenager, and a threat, a danger to the family, to the society. Helen's point of view soon brainwashed his father, and now, he held the same point of view. Running away at a very young age, Annabeth was lucky to find two friends. She was more mature than the other children at her age, and she knew more than she should. She never had a proper family. She considered the two friends she found family, because they were the closest thing she could get. They were nice to her, and they treated her well, she lived with them and went to school with them, they took her in.

Annabeth wanted to still consider these two her family, but she couldn't right now, she couldn't even bring herself to think of them as friends. No, not after what had happened. Never would she thought that she was alone in the world, she had no one to lean on. No one would actually help her because they wanted to, not because they wanted something from her. She once thought she found this person, but no, she was wrong. She never did. Her relationship with any of them to her was all delusion, they were never real. It was all an act. Now that she understood all of this, and finally realized her character in this world, but it appeared to be too late already.

She learnt this the hard way.

She didn't felt like watching a movie anymore, she just laid their.

* * *

It was near thanksgiving, and the only thing she hoped right now was to find a peaceful and quite place to stay, and hope that the drama in her life would cease only temporarily on that day, only temporary, just one day would be fine with her. She was the lonely girl that no one would want, no one would care. They had their own life to live, and she had her own too. However, the only difference was that they had people who cared about them beside them, but she had no one. No one, just herself, and maybe Colli would count. But that would be it, her only company that wouldn't hurt her in any way, and the only company who she could trust in all matters.

Standing outside the place where she promised Percy she would never go again. Millions of thoughts went through her head, weighing the pro and the cons. Pro included she wanted to clear her mind, and she needed the drugs to help her concentrate. She needed to think. Then again, the cons. She still need to keep her promise, it didn't matter if she trusted him to kept his or not, it was her duty to kept hers; it didn't matter if she lost his trust, but if she kept her word, then she wouldn't be the one to blame.

A buzz in her pocket saved her from wasting her braincells on debating with herself and hesitating whether to step in or not. She pull it out. Propped against the wall near the entrance of the club, she unlocked the phone not even glancing the notification. She went straight to messages.

 _Annabeth, I'm sorry it's a last minute request, but I do hope that you do not have plans tomorrow on thanksgiving, because I wish to see you. You can stay the night after dinner._

It was from Sally. She was caught off guard by this text, and also the last sentence inviting her to stay over. It was not late in the night, but she decided to go there earlier tomorrow to help her set up, since she didn't have any plans.

With a sigh, she got off the wall, and walked away. Going to Sally's tomorrow meant that she had to stay clean. Sally's invite really did caught her off guard, but also saved her from finding places to stay on that day.

Today might not be the tiredest day, but it was certainly full of drama. Filled with shits. She shut herself in her room the rest of the night, and drifted into sleep without notice. The chaotic and complicated relationship with her roommates, it certainly helped when she wanted time alone in her room, because no one wanted to bother one another.

Sally Jackson

"Hey Sally."

"Annabeth, I'm sorry I had to inform you last minute, but you're here early."

"Oh, it's fine, I was actually kinda worried where I will end up." Annabeth answered with a little laugh. She followed Sally into the house, "Sally, do you need any help with setting up?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Where's Paul?"

"Out with Percy buying stuff. They don't know you're coming by the way." Sally smiled.

"Oh." Annabeth didn't really know what to say, she was still awkward around Percy, and the last time she had dinner with his family was still in college. "You sure you don't need help?" Annabeth asked one last time before preparing to head upstairs.

"No, you go chill out."

"Kay, call me if you need any help."

Sally looked at her back as she went up, she smiled and said softly, "will do."

Just as Annabeth sat down in front of the piano in Percy's room, the front door opened, but she didn't know.

"Mom! We're —" He was shushed by Sally running out with a finger on her mouth, signaling them to be quiet. She then pointed towards the direction of Percy's room, or maybe the staircase, and told them to listen.

"Who's playing?" They all heard the piano sound. This tune made something click in Percy's mind, it was one of the songs Annabeth had wrote before she changed herself. He had only heard it once, but the tune imprinted in his head. He dropped everything on the floor, and quietly and quite stiffly walked up the stairs, staring blankly forward.

When he reached his room, he saw the door only half closed, through the crack he saw a girl with curly long blonde hair that reached below her waist, sat there, her fingers flew on the keys. He couldn't see her face, but he already knew who she was. He hoped that she didn't put on her usual makeup.

He cracked open the door slowly and quietly, made sure that he didn't disturbed her, and more importantly startled her.

As she started singing, he felt himself falling into a trance, and was wrapped around by her voice. He missed his voice, especially this gentle and soothing kind. Leaning against the door frame for support, so that he wouldn't be making sound, he closed his eyes and let his head dropped, he put his hands in his pocket and curled it to stop it from shaking.

* * *

 **A/N: I know that most people don't read the author's note in the front, because they are too excited to read the content of the story, I do understand that, because sometimes I do that to. I read the author's note only after I read the story, so I do understand if you ignored the top and bottom bold letters, but please, I'm hoping you will at least scan through it after you finish reading the chapter, because sometimes it contained the reason why I'm not updating or why this certain thing happens, and sometimes it will answer your doubts, reassure you of something.**

 **Thank you AnnaUnicorn, and the two Guests who reviewed in the last chapter!**

 **SapphireTrafficker**


	10. Ten

**A/N: People, here's an announcement. I rarely make announcements, so please read it. From now on, I'm going to respond to everyone of your reviews in the next updates, because there are people that I cannot reply through personal messages, so I decided that replying in public will be better. It will be at the very end of each chapter. So, if you have reviewed between the last chapter and this chapter, you can check the dedications below for my reaction to your comments.**

* * *

 _I will not make_

 _The same mistakes that you did_

 _I will not let myself_

 _Cause my heart so much misery_

 _I will not break_

 _The way you did, you fell so hard_

 _I've learned the hard way_

 _To never let it get that far_

Listening to the voice and the lyrics made his heart shattered into pieces. He knew what was the impact on her of what he had done, but he never would have thought that it would be reflected in this way. He thought of worse, but never would he ever came upon her in this devastated state. He knew it would affect her, but never knew the cut would be this deep, this hard to heel. His knees almost gave him in, but he stood still, putting more weight on to the door frame that he was leaning against. Staring at the other side of the door frame in front of him, he went through his past, he thought he had considered all scenarios, yet he was wrong; he thought he had understood her well enough, again he was mistaken.

 _Because of you_

 _I never stray to far from the sidewalk_

 _Because of you_

 _I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt_

 _Because of you_

 _I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me_

 _Because of you_

 _I am afraid_

She didn't mean to blame him for everything. She never blamed him for anything. This was originally written and influenced by her relationship with her dad, and not her breakup with Percy, but at this moment, it seemed to be fitting perfectly well, even better than her situation with her family.

 _I lose my way_

 _And it's not too long before you point it out_

 _I cannot cry_

 _Because I know that's weakness in your eyes_

 _I'm forced to fake_

 _A smile, a laugh everyday of my life_

 _My heart can't possibly break_

 _When it wasn't even whole to start with_

During the two weeks before she graduated, she didn't need to fake anything, she was still herself, despite her change in style and everything. She didn't need to fake a smile or a laugh for anyone's sake, on one cared about her anymore. Her heart wasn't whole when she started her life by herself, her heart lost a piece already the time she started to pick up things. It was already unbreakable, not in the way that it was too strong to be broken, but in the way that it was already shattered into pieces that couldn't be broken into more bits.

 _Because of you_

 _I never stray too far from the sidewalk_

 _Because of you_

 _I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt_

 _Because of you_

 _I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me_

 _Because of you_

 _I am afraid_

She wasn't blaming anyone, or letting anyone take the blame, there was nothing to blame to. This was just the impact of everything tragical thing that happened in her life. This 'you' in the story weren't referring to any specific person, she wasn't thinking of anyone in particular when she wrote it, it was only based off her father, but it was not for her father nor for Percy in this case.

 _I watched you die_

 _I heard you cry every night in your sleep_

 _I was so young_

 _You should have known_

 _Better than to lean on me_

 _You never thought of anyone else_

 _You just saw your pain_

 _And now I cry in the middle of the night_

 _For the same damn thing_

It was the same every night. It was true. Every single line of this song was true about her. She didn't want Percy to feel guilty, heck, she didn't even wanted him to hear it. Songs were now the only thing for her to express her feelings, her life was too recked for her to sit in front of a diary and pour her heart and soul out. No, she didn't have that patience anymore. Her life was no longer peaceful. She thought maybe her peaceful lifetime had passed the minute she left college.

 _Because of you_

 _I never stray too far from the sidewalk_

 _Because of you_

 _I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt_

 _Because of you_

 _I try my hardest just to forget everything_

 _Because of you_

 _I don't know how to let anyone else in_

 _Because of you_

 _I'm ashamed of my life_

 _Because it's empty_

 _Because of you_

 _I am afraid_

 _Because of you_

 _Because of you_

Her song was finished. The sound lingered in the air.

She sat stiffly with her hands still on the keyboard, but couldn't decide whether to play on or to stop. Not that she didn't have a song in mind, actually, she was about to compose one right that moment as she was about to start. A voice coming from the door frame startled her.

 _I'm so glad you made time to see me_

 _How's life, tell me how's your family?_

 _I haven't seen them in a while_

 _You've been good, busier then ever_

 _We small talk, work and the weather_

 _Your guard is up and I know why_

She whipped her head to the direction of the voice. Percy was surprised by himself as well, he never knew he could sing, let along sing at this very awkward moment.

 _Because the last time you saw me_

 _Is still burned in the back of your mind_

 _You gave me roses and I left them there to die_

Annabeth didn't know how to react and what to think, she just sat there, petrified as she listened to his voice. He was not off key. Much to her surprise, he actually had quite a beautiful voice. She knew that he wasn't the one who wrote this song, and she knew that the scenarios inside was similar to theirs, but not the same.

 _So this is me swallowing my pride_

 _Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night_

 _And I go back to December all the time_

 _It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

 _Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_

 _I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right_

 _I go back to December all the time_

She also knew that this was him apologizing to her, and wanting another chance but this was not what she wanted to get out of him, nor did she want him to hear her whole song.

 _These days I haven't been sleeping_

 _Staying up playing back myself leaving_

 _When your birthday passed and I didn't call_

 _And I think about summer, all the beautiful times_

 _I watched you laughing from the passenger side_

 _And realized I'd loved you in the fall_

 _And then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind_

 _You gave me all your love and all I gave you was goodbye_

She knew she could, and she had been thinking of giving him another shot, but when reality comes, it all seemed too fast for her.

 _So this is me swallowing my pride_

 _Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night_

 _And I go back to December all the time_

 _It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

 _Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_

 _I'd go back to December turn around and change my own mind_

 _I go back to December all the time_

Her confidence of confronting him came and went. Not that she didn't want it, she was still beyond ready. She thought she was, but it turned out she wasn't when reality hit her.

 _I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile, so good to me, so right_

 _And how you held me in your arms that September night_

 _The first time you ever saw me cry_

 _Maybe this is wishful thinking_

 _Probably mindless dreaming_

 _But if we loved again I swear I'd love you right_

 _I'd go back in time and change it but I can't_

 _So if the chain is on your door, I understand_

 _But this is me swallowing my pride_

 _Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night_

 _And I go back to December_

 _It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

 _Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_

 _I'd go back to December turn around and make it all right_

 _I'd go back to December turn around and change my own mind_

 _I go back to December all the time all the time_

She had forgiven him long long time ago, what she wanted was not an apology, she wanted an explanation, an explanation came from his own mouth and not by the others. She knew the truth already, she just wanted to hear it from his own mouth.

After a moment of silence, she stood up and walked to the door.

"How much did you hear me?" Annabeth asked in a soft and vulnerable voice. Percy hadn't been hearing this voice in what seemed like forever, he knew that she would only show vulnerability in front of him, and he cherished that. He loved how opened up she would be in front of him.

"Everything." He replied softly. Annabeth nodded. He thought she was going to push past him and walked away.

But, what Annabeth did next was shocking to him, he almost fainted by her move.

Annabeth hugged him. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, taking in the faint sea smell.

It took a while for him to realized what was happening and he gladly returned the favor.

"I didn't want to make you feel guilty. I blamed no one for my life and condition now." She muffled into his neck. He hugged her tighter.

A while later, she pulled away, much to his disappointment.

"You are losing your scent and turning into a mixture of perfume." That was all she said before waking down the stairs to the kitchen, where Sally was still preparing for the dinner. He followed and chuckled at her last comment. She ducked her head to hide the smile that was making its way up to her face on to her lips. She bit her lips from her to start laughing.

Just as she got to the bottom of the stairs, the doorbell rang. She walked to the door and pulled it open. Percy was standing behind her looking at who it was from a distance.

When the door opened, there was an awkward silence, because the two people that came in was the last two people Annabeth wanted to see that night.

"Hey… Um Annabeth, didn't expect to see you here." Nico said awkwardly.

"I'll just bring this to Sally." Thalia said quietly and walked past them, greeted Percy on her way, and walked into the kitchen with the food she brought in hand.

After the two went in, Percy was about to follow, but stopped when he didn't see Annabeth moving.

Annabeth closed the door and leaned into the corner between the door and the wall next to it. She closed her eyes and put her head in her hand, while massaging her temples using one hand. She restrained the urge rub her face because of her heavy makeup. Percy walked to the door slowly, and cautiously.

"Hey, you okay? What happened between you three?" He asked in a cautious voice, as if he was pulling a trigger of a gun pointing to himself. Gently he took Annabeth's and that was on her head and removed it so he could see her face. She took a deep breath and told him. "I'm fine. You go first, I'll be after you." She opened her eyes and looked at his concerned eyes. Looked away to prevent herself from drowning into them. He nodded slightly and released her hand that he didn't know he was still holding.

"Guys, what did you bring?"

The whole dinner went smoothly. Yes, only smoothly. Maybe the mood was not so happy, but at least drama was prevented. They tried to talk, but failed to find a subject, so they were all basically listening and answering Sally's questions. Sally seemed to be sensing the discomfort between the four of them, so she tried to make the mood lighter by asking questions, she had asked a lot more than she usually would.

"Percy, can I talk to you?" Nico said, as the four of the left the table and went to the living room. Percy nodded and followed Nico out the door.

"Annabeth —" Thalia started, but was ignored by Annabeth by her asking Sally whether she needed help or not.

"Here, let me help." She went up and took the dishes from Sally and put it in the sink. "Might as well help since I'm staying the night." Annabeth added at Sally who was still insisting that she didn't need help.

"Annabeth, it's fine, I will have Paul help me. Go." Sally insisted.

Annabeth went out of the kitchen, Thalia went up to her desperately wanting to talk to her to solve their friendship problem. She walked past Thalia and went upstairs. Came down seconds later with a guitar in hand.

"What are you doing?" Thalia asked. Annabeth just glared at her then turned her attention back to the guitar. She sat down on the couch, guitar on her lap. Percy and Nico were still talking outside about something, Thalia sat down on the floor thinking of ways to approach Annabeth and explain.

Annabeth started playing.

 _You don't want me, no_

 _You don't need me_

 _Like I want you, oh_

 _Like I need you_

She closed her eyes, and continued to strum the guitar and sang.

 _And I want you in my life_

 _And I need you in my life_

She was just making that up right on the spot. This wasn't something she had written. Ignoring the opening door. With her eyes still closed, she continued this slow song, while strumming the guitar.

 _You can't see me, no_

 _Like I see you_

 _I can't have you, no_

 _Like you have me_

She wasn't really sure if the lyrics came out like this because of her friendship with Thalia or because she wanted to start over with Percy.

 _And I want you in my life_

 _And I need you in my life_

She didn't mean to dedicate this to anyone, it just came into her mind, and she just wanted to avoid the awkwardness and the bitter conversation that she was probably going to have with Thalia.

 _Love_

 _Love_

 _Love_

Not caring about the change of her surroundings. She carried on with her new song and with that pace.

 _You can't feel me, no_

 _Like I feel you_

 _I can't steal you, no_

 _Like you stole me_

 _And I want you in my life_

 _And I need you in my life_

 _La la la la_

 _La la la la_

 _La la la la_

 _La la la la_

Still strumming the guitar absently, she opened her eyes and looked up. He saw Nico darker than usual; Percy wasn't exactly in a great mood; Thalia had her hands covering her face. Annabeth took it as they all heard the song and was thinking that it was meant for them. With a sigh, Annabeth shut her eyes trying to forget the scene before her. She blamed herself for making this whole thanksgiving's environment unpleasant and uncomfortable. Maybe it was the best for her to walk out of their life, and stay alone.

 _I'm not listening to you_

 _I am wandering right through existence_

 _With no purpose and no drive_

 _'Cause in the end we're all alive, alive_

She started. She had no idea where that came from, nor how would she continue.

 _Two thousand years I've been awake_

 _Waiting for the day to shake_

But it seemed like that the words just flowed out of her mouth like water.

 _To all of you who've wronged me_

 _I am, I am a zombie_

 _Again, again you want me to fall on my head_

 _I am, I am, I am a zombie_

 _How low, how low, how low will you push me_

 _To go, to go, to go, before I lie down dead_

This clearly reflected what she thought of herself in the world. Her position and her identity.

 _Blow the smoke right off the tube_

 _Kiss my gentle burning bruise_

 _I'm lost in time_

 _And to all the people left behind_

 _You are walking dumb and blind, blind_

Now come to think of it, it seemed like a bad idea to start a band, because it didn't end well.

 _And two thousand years I've been awake_

 _Waiting for the day to shake_

She should've known that she wouldn't succeed in socializing. Relationships, friendships, frenemies. People around her eventually walked out of her. That was like a routine in her life since she was born.

 _Dear all of you who've wronged me_

 _I am, I am a zombie_

 _Again, again you want me to fall on my head_

 _I am, I am, I am a zombie_

 _How low, how low, how low will you push me_

 _To go, to go, to go, before I lie down dead_

 _Oh dead, Oh dead, Oh dead_

She should be getting used to it by now. Twenty years already, she should've learned that it was never easy for her to be in a long-term relationship or friendship.

 _To all of you who've wronged me_

 _I am, I am a zombie_

 _Again, again you want me to fall on my head_

 _I am I am I am a zombie_

 _How low, how low, how low will you push me_

 _To go, to go, to go, before I lie down dead_

Course people and wronged her. They thought she was a great friend, although she indeed was, but bad things always seemed to be happening on her.

Thalia and Nico bid them goodnight and went different ways. It was only Percy and Annabeth left. There was an awkward silence, then Annabeth stood up, putting the guitar aside and walked towards the kitchen. Percy didn't follow. He didn't know what to do. Annabeth just sung two songs that she had just made up, and the lyrics were not so positive, whether it was about someone or not, it was not something you wanted to hear during Thanksgiving.

"Sally, can I talk to you in private?" Annabeth stuck her head in the kitchen door looking at Sally, who nodded and stood up in response.

"Upstairs?" Sally pointed to the stairs.

"Sure."

"So what do you want to tell me?"

"I need to apologize."

"What? You did nothing wrong —"

"No, Sally. Listen, you sensed the unusualness in the atmosphere when we were having dinner right? And I noticed that you were asking more questions than before, you were trying to lighten the mood by trying to carry on with some talking. I really appreciate that, and thank you. I wanted to say sorry, because I am the cause of all this." Sally was about to say something to defend Annabeth, but Annabeth continued. "I'm not particularly on good terms with Thalia, and I'm not sure what's with Nico and I, and the things between Percy and I are complicated. Basically everyone was not on good terms with me, but Thalia and Nico were good, so if this dinner was without me, it would be better and happier. I also don't think I should stay the night. Thank you for the offer though. I don't want to make the atmosphere in your house dark and heavy. I tend to do that a lot wherever I went, I don't know why exactly, but I don't want to make things bad in your house especially on this day."

"Annabeth, your a smart girl. Think wisely. I respect your choice. I don't think you're a bad influence. You didn't ruin anything or cause the change in atmosphere. You really didn't. But I understand that you need space to think right now, to get everything straight. Just remember that you're always welcomed here okay?" Sally hugged her and let her go.

"Thank you Sally." Annabeth whispered. Looking down, she turned around and headed out the door.

Ignoring Percy's questioning stare, she walked out of the front door with her coat and her keys.

"I thought you are staying the night Annabeth." Percy shouted after, and followed after her. He stopped at the door frame when he saw her walking towards her car. He hesitated.

Annabeth walked towards her car, and walked towards the drivers side, but didn't get in, instead, she leaned on the door and pull out a stick of heroin. She had already gave up on everything and everyone in her life, why couldn't she take one. She had broke it off with everyone she cared about, life didn't matter to her anymore. Lighting it, she started to inhale the drug slowly.

In the five years, Annabeth had no tears to shed anymore, she didn't know when to cry or laugh, she didn't know what expression to show. To her there was no expression left in her, she was void and empty. She was done with everyone and everything in the world. She had suffered from mild depression before, but didn't take pills, because she thought she didn't need them. Although that was a big mistake, but she still lived after her attempt to cut herself. This time was no difference, using pills to control depression was useless for her already, she didn't want to get well. She was hopeless.

Deep in thought, she continued to suck on her heroin.

She only got out of her trance when the smoke was been thrown out of her hand. Her eyes snapped open, and met a pair of sea-green eyes with glinting tears in them. She didn't even have time to look away when a pair of warm and gentle hands cupped her cheeks and a soft salty lips smashed on hers.

Her mind went even more blank, if that was possible. She kissed him back. Her hands slowly went into his hair as she sucked his bottom lips gently. Their lips moved synchronously. Her tongue automatically started to twirl with his. She ran her hand through his hopelessly messed up black hair. His hands wondered into her thick black coat, and snaked around her waist.

"What was that for?" Pulling away for breaths, she asked breathlessly.

"You promised me you'd stop. Why?" His voice explained his watery eyes. He pointed to now went out smoke on the floor that he pull out from Annabeth.

Annabeth didn't look, she just closed her eyes, not knowing what to reply. She pushed everyone away, far from her, and she thought she was a free sprit now, but didn't know that Percy would always be after her no matter what.

As if reading her mind, Percy spoke again, this time in a helpless pleading voice that he had only used with her. "Please, Annabeth, please stop pushing every person who cared about you away, please, just stop. Okay? I beg you." Annabeth seriously didn't know what to react to this action of appeasement, never had Percy acted this helpless and this desperate for something in front of her before. This was seriously the first. She silently hoped it would be the last, too.

She turned her face away from Percy, eyes still closed. He caressed her cheeks and was still caging her. Looking at her pleadingly. She knew she would give in with just one look at his eyes. She wanted to give in to him, but she couldn't let her pride drop, her dignity. She still couldn't swallow her pride and gave in, she wanted to fight till last minute. The Annabeth Chase never gave in, even when it was the wisest decision at that time. Hubris and arrogance.

* * *

"Yo, did you favorited this song because it is about blue colors, and that somehow has something to do with me?" Percy sitting on his bed in his mom's shirtless, his hair still dripping water. He just came out of the shower. Scrolling the playlist on Annabeth's phone had been his habit ever since, because he might get a chance to hear her sang her own song that she occasionally recorded on her phone. Annabeth was on her stomach, opened her eyes a little, and tried to squint out where was she.

Ignoring Percy's question, she propped herself up on both her elbows. "Why am I here?"

"Heroin surely clears someone's mind huh." Percy snorted.

"Is that my phone you're holding?" Annabeth asked sleepily. Percy nodded and grinned. "Playlist? Seriously Percy?" With that, Annabeth put her head down and stared at Percy blankly.

"I asked you why did you favorite the song Colors by Halsey."

"Because I like it. Duh."

"Any other reasons? Like because it's about blue and that relates to me?"

"You self-centered jerk." She closed her eyes wanting to get back to sleep and ignore Percy who was attempting to annoy her. Percy sniggered at her retort. "How did you know my password?" Annabeth suddenly asked.

"You never change it." Percy said in a matter of fact tone.

"And you still remembered? Five years of not touching my phone." She raised an eyebrow in amazement.

"Yea, why wouldn't I." He shrugged, still scrolling through her phone.

"You're invading my privacy." She mumbled and raised an arm lazily trying to reach her phone, but dropped on to Percy's stomach when he pulled it away from her reach. She was too tired to move it away, so she just let it rest on his stomach. Closing her eyes again as she was almost drifting back to slumber, a hand enveloping hers startled her, and made her crack open her eyes again. Percy absently grabbed her hand and pulled to his chest, near his mouth. His eyes were still on her phone scrolling through something and laughed.

Annabeth flicked him on the chin with her captured hand, scolding him for disturbing her sleep. Then, her breathing evened, indicating that she had gone back to sleep again.

"You should get up now Wise Girl, my mom made pancakes and waffles."

"Mmm… What was the time when you were scrolling through my phone?" She sat up, yawned and stretched accidentally hitting Percy in the head. She rubbed his hair absently as an apology for hitting him, not even turning to his direction.

"Around seven."

"And what time is it now?" Another yawn took over her.

"Nearly nine." He was still looking at her, and smiled. "Still not a morning person aren't ya?" He reached for her curls, but his hand was swatted away by Annabeth wearily.

"Fine, I'm up, now go away, you're annoying." She said, getting up.

"That's not what you said yesterday night?"

"Yea, I know, I over dosed to prove that you're the most annoying human being I've ever met yesterday." He laughed at this comment and turned to the door.

"Meet you down stairs." He said and went down stairs as Annabeth closed the bathroom door.

Still lazily, Annabeth sat down in the chair opposite of Percy.

"Morning Sally." Annabeth mumbled.

"Why are you in my shirt?"

"Problem?" Annabeth gave him a look.

He shook his head. "Nah, just didn't think you would wear my high school swim team hoodie." He explained. "Suits you though."

"Didn't sleep well?" Sally asked kindly, before Annabeth could think of a retort to Percy's little statement.

"Yea, this guy woke me up at seven when I slept at two yesterday." She pointed at Percy. "Hey! I just thought you would be awake by that time already okay." He protested.

"It's the first for you to wake up at seven Perce." Sally remarked, and Annabeth chuckled at this very true fact of Percy that no outsiders knew about. Percy ducked down his head pretending that he didn't hear that.

"For your information, your other clothes are all having different degree of sickening perfume smell. Only your high school clothes are not poisoned." Annabeth said after Sally walked away. Percy grimaced but said nothing, because it was quite true.

They finished their breakfast and went back upstairs. Annabeth wanted to pay a visit to Piper, and since it was already late in the morning, she decided to have lunch with her if she was free. She went into the bathroom putting on her makeup, just incase people spot her.

She saw Percy following her into the toilet as she put on her eyeliner. His face was not exactly in a happy shape.

"What?" She stopped and looked at Percy through the mirror frowning.

"I don't like you wearing makeup."

"Heard this before." She continued, ignoring what Percy just said.

Percy sighed.

"Enjoyed watching me putting on makeup? Thought you'd watched enough."

"No," he shrugged. "I was never interested in other people's makeup. I just have nothing to do." He sat on to the sink so he was next to the mirror. Annabeth raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"What is that?"

Annabeth followed his gaze to her forearm. She was wearing only her sports bra because she didn't want to smudge her makeup all over her face by pulling clothes off. "Oh." She tensed a little, because the makeup to make it look more like a tattoo had been washed off when she showered this morning. "It's just another tattoo." She tried to shrug it off, and turned her arm around so that the scar was not showing.

"This looks like a cut though?" He thought out loud. And suddenly he gasped. Annabeth eyed him suspiciously, but turned back to her applying of layers of eyeliner. The dots in his head connected and clicked. "I did this didn't I?" He grabbed her arm and started to examine the cut before Annabeth could pull away.

"Huh? No." Annabeth faked a surprised face, attempting to play dumb, because she didn't want him to find out.

"No, I mean, you cut yourself because of me isn't it?" But he was too smart this time.

Annabeth said nothing.

"You're attempting to commit suicide aren't you?" Without waiting for her answer he continued. "Damn it. I never should've left you."

"You didn't, you were unconscious." Annabeth muttered, still looking in the mirror, avoiding his gaze. She retract her arm from him and started to put makeup around it.

"What are you doing?"

"Making it look like a tattoo."

"I'm sorry Annabeth."

"For what?"

"For breaking my promise." Annabeth scoffed and shrugged, still focusing on the decorations of her scar. Percy looked down. "Forgive me please?"

"Why? I never blamed you for anything, what is it that I need to forgave?" Annabeth was looking in the mirror and checked her arm one last time, before turning her full attention to Percy. She stared at him waiting for him to talk, but he didn't, so she started to walk out the bathroom.

"Hey, Annabeth, you free today?" Percy asked as she entered his room.

"Why?"

"I wanna ask you something."

"About?" She was nearly finished.

"Thalia."

"Okay." She finished the last brush on her arm and started to pack up. She looked up suddenly, staring at Percy, her mouth slightly opened. Debating whether she should ask or not, she finally said. "What did Nico tell you yesterday by the way?"

"Er…" He went through his hair making it even more messy, and knotted. "That is probably not my place to say."

"That personal." She nodded. "Thalia?" She asked, changing a subject.

"Can we not talk in here in my mom's house?"

They left the house and bade Sally and Paul goodbye. They barely paid attention to the two leaving, because they were discussing on when to pick up Tyson from Ella's.

"Coffee?"

"How about we go to Frank's?" Ignoring Percy's questioning glance, she walked to her car, she unlocked the car and tossed the key to Percy. "You're driving." Percy rolled his eyes, but got into the driver's seat.

"Tell me the directions."

They didn't talk about any other stuff, and maybe the lunch Annabeth was planning with Piper today should be changed to dinner. Annabeth kept pointing directions to him, and she was also texting Piper asking her if she was free at night, or after dinner.

"Who're you texting?"

"Piper."

"What for?"

"Dinner."

"Why?"

"Do I need to tell you every single event that is going on in my life and every single thing that went through my mind?" She turned to Percy, looking slightly irritated. Percy sighed and went quite.

"Hey Frank."

"Percy! Long time no see?"

"Hey buddy, how did it go with Hazel?"

"Why didn't you tell me you know him Perce?"

"Anything between you two?" Frank asked glancing between Percy and Annabeth.

"No." Annabeth shook her head. "How did you two met though?"

"We were in the same junior high. He was a year above me. We weren't close at that time, but we kept in touch, and now he was my only friend from Junior high."

"I'm not the only one. You forgot your first love." Percy teased causing Frank to blush. "Seriously though, you still with her?"

"Yea, why not?" He shrugged but was still blushing.

"She here today?" Percy asked as they reached the counter, and sat on the high stool near the bar. Frank nodded in respond.

"Have I met her before?" Annabeth asked suddenly. Both of them turned and raised an eyebrow in question. "Your girl." She explained.

"Maybe, I'm not sure."

Annabeth turned to Percy, and silently asked the same question.

Percy shrugged. "Not to my knowledge at least."

"Have I seen pictures of her then? Her name sounds familiar to me."

"Um… Yea, you did."

"How did he know?" Frank asked confused.

"Know what?" Both of them turned to him.

"Whether you've seen Hazel or not."

"He showed me pictures."

"Or more like you stole my phone, and went through my photos." Annabeth shrugged and sipped her drink, looking innocent.

"How did you two met? It's weird to know both of you separately, but didn't know there's something between you two."

"High school." Annabeth replied briefly, wanting to drop the subject.

Frank seemed to get the sign, he nodded, and walked away, doing other stuff.

"What do you want to know about Thalia?"

"Yea, what happened to her, and between you two? She didn't seem to be that loud and obnoxious Thals this thanksgiving."

"Oh, thought she would tell you this already, since you know, you're her cousin and stuff. Nico knows already."

"But she didn't. You see, her relationship with me is not as close as hers with Nico's, so she might not tell me everything, but you're closer to her, so I thought you might know."

"Let's just say, we're not exactly on great terms now."

"How so? Care to elaborate?"

"No." She joked.

Her phone rang as she was about to explain Thalia's relationship with Luke to him. She shivered as she saw the caller. It had been more than ten years since she last talked to him. Percy was about to ask who was that, when she accepted the call and put a hand up shushing Percy.

"Dad?"

Percy's eyes widened, he knew about Annabeth's childhood, he knew enough to understand her relationship with her family and her dad. He put a comforting hand on Annabeth's.

"Er… Yes… Okay…" She shivered as she hung up the phone. Her face paled, she looked like she was haunted.

"Shit." Was all she said after she hung up.

"What did he say?" Annabeth didn't reply but just stood up and dragged Percy with her as she went to her car. She got into the driver's seat. "Coming?" Was all she said before Percy got into the other side. She started the car, and drove to Percy's house.

"What did he say?"

"He wants me back for Christmas."

"How is that bad?"

"You don't understand how recked my life is currently. My plate is full already without the whole music thing, and now I have to spend two days in a hell hole with son of a bitch of a father who basically disowned me, and that she devil who would be overwhelmed if the news of my death arrived." She snapped as she opened his front door. Percy didn't really know what to say, he knew it was tough in her family, but he never experienced this kind of family, so he really was about blank in this situation. "Oh and also, Malcolm's not gonna be there, which made it god knows how many times worse." Malcolm, Annabeth's half brother, and apparently the only family to Annabeth, because he treated her nicely, but because he was constantly busy on his business and his company, he didn't have time to pay attention to Annabeth, but he was the only one that cared about her.

"Hey Piper." She greeted her as both of them went in. "Nothing happened between us Piper, don't get your hopes up." Annabeth grunted as she sat down on the bean bag on the floor in front of the television, flicking through the channels, not really paying attention to what it was about.

"You wanted to have dinner with me, why?"

"Just wanted to talk." She looked up at Piper.

"About?"

"Anything, just wanted to get my mind off."

"I thought he's a good company." Pointing to Percy.

Annabeth paused. "He will be in a movie till after Christmas." She said suddenly, as she stood up again. "How about we go for a walk, and you can have your date with Jason tonight."

"How do you know that the was about to be in a movie?" Piper whispered as they walked out of the door.

"Saw it on TV." There was a slight pause and both of them burst out laughing.

* * *

San Francisco, California

Christmas Eve

"Annabeth. Glad you made it."

"Fredrick." Annabeth addressed her father coldly. Fredrick sighed in defeat and dropped his arms. Helen appeared behind him. Both Helen and Annabeth didn't say anything, they didn't even greet each other. "How long do I have to stay?"

"As long as you like."

"Then am I permitted to go now?"

"Annabeth." Her dad looked at her with pleading eyes.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her, but the door hit something. She looked back and saw two people. She growled, and glared at them and his father for explanation.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you know why Annabeth sung that two song. If not, you can ask me, and I will try my best to explain this whole thing. I understand if it is becoming a little hazy, because the story is getting complicated, and it will be more complicated with the relationships between the characters, and the identity of the characters will also starting to become diverse. Bare in mind that no one is actually evil in this story, the reason they act in a certain way is because it is for their own benefit, they think it benefits them and it is the right thing to do, the right choice. So there's no absolute good and bad in this story. Every character has their own flaws and their own thoughts and theories, they did everything for a reason that they believe is true and correct in certain way.**

 **Also because I get very little reviews, so usually there will not be dedications since no one reviewed. Honestly, I don't really care about the reviews, as long as you people enjoyed reading it and I enjoyed writing them, I'm fine with it. Also, to me I think that reviews are just a way to communicate to the author, so if readers want to express their thoughts, concerns, questions about the story or anything, it is a way of telling them. So now come to think of it, if you don't review, I don't really mind, because I enjoyed writing it.**

 _ **Dedication**_

 **Islingr-kun: I'm sorry about that, I was just trying to introduce a little of their background and what they are currently on, but because I'm the writer, so I have all the things in my mind, but the readers don't and I might've let that slip. I know that I spent a little more than needed on the background introduction of the characters' life. Sorry 'bout that. As I explained in the author's note in the very bottom of this chapter, this is the first time I tried long stories, and fluff isn't really my thing, I can include it as some moments, but this romance will not be the same to the other romantic stories. Because the style of the characters are a little different from the other story settings. It's more of a dark story, so I'm sorry, but since you requested, I put in some fluff in this chapter, hope you like it. Thank you for the review, and also the suggestion, I really like it. Hope you enjoyed my story so far. :)**


	11. Eleven

**A/N: This story has the same amount of drama as well as the same amount of hurt. Comforting is included, but hurt and drama are the main genre I would say. Romance is of course contained, but to some of you, it is not obvious. I think most of you, after reading the previous chapters would think that this story should be put in drama and hurt/comfort genre, and not romance. Well, then I should say that, you are correct, and I did consider that before, however, I do think that romance is a big part, only because it didn't contain much fluff doesn't mean that romance doesn't exist. So all I wanted to say is that, I might not be good with romance and all those fluff and stuff, but I will improve someday, this is only my first actual story.**

* * *

San Francisco, California

Christmas Eve

"Why do I see you two everywhere?" Annabeth sneered in disgust, turing her glare from her father back to the two people at the door.

"I am your cousin for your information, and I have the right to bring my girlfriend home during Christmas."

"Oh my fucking shit of a god, this is getting more and more incest, fuck knows what will happen next." Annabeth cried and rolled her eyes dramatically. Glaring at Luke with pure hatred and loathe, and to Thalia with betrayal and displeasure.

"Annabeth language, the twins are still here." This was the first sentence to come out of Helen's mouth since Annabeth's arrival.

"Oh, how rude am I, I mistreated the she devil. My mistake. Also, it always surprises me how you still remembered my name." Annabeth bowed, and said the remaining sentence dripping with sarcasm, much to his dad's dismay. Not that she cared. She walked inside leaving Luke and Thalia greeting her parents.

The food was good. The atmosphere was at ease until Luke spoke when Annabeth's dad asked about what he was planning with Thalia.

"Thalia agreed to move in with me in order to help me more with my work." Luke said rather sincerely. Annabeth had previously planned to mend her friendship with Thalia during Christmas since she was with her family, but this declaration from Luke caught her off guard. Anger started to boil in her body.

Thud!

Annabeth's hand slapped on to the table, and stood up abruptly causing the chair to fell over.

"Your work, yes, drug trafficking my I add. She is helping you with your dirty laundry I presume. Not that I care." Annabeth snarled and used her best glare at Luke. "Thalia Grace, if you really care about this motherfucking asshole of a drug dealer, you should be doing what's the best for him, not leading him on to the road to solitary." She walked away, but Thalia grabbed her, and stood up as well.

"Annie." Thalia's voice cracked for the first time, and tears were streaming down her cheeks. This was the first time Annabeth ever witness Thalia cry in front of so many people. Annabeth ignored the shock to see tears in her eyes, she whirled around, in a swift move, she shook off Thalia's hand and slapped her across her face, and walked out of the house slamming the front door behind her.

Trying to clear her mind and think what she had done, she strolled down the street that was once noisy, and lively. She slumped against one of the building wall, and rest her forehead on her palms. What had she done? She was never this furious, and had never been driven by anger before, she would never do anything because of emotions. Even if she ended her friendship with Thalia, that didn't mean she deserved to be slapped. On the contrary, she was just trying to knock some sense into Thalia and try to make her understand the consequences of her choice. Her aim was not to separate Thalia and Luke, but she wanted Thalia to maybe get Luke back on track. Maybe this was the last warning for her to stop meddling with the other's business, and stop caring about what's good for her friends. In the end, she might even not have any real friends.

Staring at her cellphone screen, her thumb hovered above Malcolm's name, she knew it was Christmas, and he would probably be busy at the moment, but she really wanted to call him, he was the only one that would listen and understand her situation. He didn't have a loving family, too, but he had Annabeth's company at his toughest period of time. She rest on sending him a text telling him to call her if he was free and was in San Francisco.

Not knowing what do think nor what to do, she stood there, hugging her coat tight. She didn't wear a lot of clothes considering the fact that she would probably stay indoor or at least in a car.

"They left." A glass of champagne was all she saw when she heard the voice. It belonged to Thalia. She didn't know whether to apologize for the hitting her or to try and talk to her. She nodded numbly and took the champagne from her hand. She sipped it, and felt a weird taste that did not belonged to normal champagne, it taste like drug or spikes. She turned to Thalia and eyed her suspiciously. Under the reflection of the street lamp, she tried to read the expression on her face and tried to read her mind to see if this was spiked, but she wasn't looking at her, nor in her direction. Annabeth chose to trust her one last time. She and Thalia didn't talk, they both leant against the wall drinking their glass.

The next morning, she didn't remember anything from last night, except the fact that Thalia offered her a glass of champagne and she drank it trying to ease her mind. She opened her eyes and sat up, her head was pounding, she hadn't got the feeling of nauseous for many years, as experienced as she was, she knew that she got drugged. But that was not the worse. When she looked around, what freaked her out was she was naked in a bed, in her own room in her dad's house, with her clothes on the floor in a messy pile next to the bed. On her nightstand, there laid a card, with a handwriting that she recognized almost immediately. It belonged to Luke Castellan. It says:

 _You were good for a first timer. — Castellan_

Annabeth was about to burn herself with rage. She crumbled the card in her hand as hard as she could and threw it at the door. Not bothering to shower, because she knew that the person who had done more than harassment to her was still in this house. Putting her clothes from previous night back on, she went around the small house to find her culprit. Actually it saved her from a search. When she walked down stairs she saw two people snogging, it was none other than Thalia and Luke. Annabeth quietly crept down the stairs, then in an inhuman speed, she went up to Luke and pulled him off Thalia, ignoring Thalia who was shouting for them to stop.

Annabeth punched Luke square in the face, and leaving him a broken nose. Blood streaming down from his nose like running water. She strangled him to the floor. Luckily her clothes were dark and leather made, therefore the blood wouldn't soak in it. Her hand were red with blood from his nose. His collar turned red, his nose bleed seemed unstoppable. Not that she cared. Kicking him everywhere as hard as she could using her boots. Bruises formed on his stomach, chest, arms rapidly, his armed soon turned purple. Luke got up, trying to fight back, but her black belt in karate had paid off. With one swift move in lightning speed, Luke was been kicked in the stomach and was sent flying back and hit the wall hard, and fell unconscious. Thalia came running to the unconscious Luke with tears in her eyes.

"Incest criminal." She twisted his arm one last time before standing up. She saw Thalia's mouth wide opened, she didn't know was it from the shock that she had just left her boyfriend unconscious, or was it because she didn't know that Luke took advantage of her.

"Don't you dare call for help while I'm present." Annabeth looked down at Thalia, voice shaking, Thalia knelt beside him with her phone in her hand. Annabeth's intense glare and her beating of Luke had a great effect on Thalia too, she was scared as hell. Shivering under her gaze. She put down her phone. "You. Were. Never. My. Friend. Thalia. Grace." She spat out every single word through gritted teeth. "Call help after I am gone, and by the way, his right arm's fractured." She added before disappearing out of the door with her keys. She wiped her hands with Luke's blood on a tissue and tossed into the rubbish bin on the street before walking away. There were still blood stains on her black leather jacket, but it wasn't visible, and her coat was able to cover it.

Just as she turned the corner, she heard the sirens of the ambulance. She duck her head and hailed a cab and went off to the airport. Putting on her shades as she entered the airport, one reason to prevent from been seen; another is to coverup her smudged makeup.

She fished out her phone and called the only person she could think of that was able to help her now.

"You free?" She blurted out a second after that person picked up.

"Yea why? Are you okay? Where are you?" Percy's voice came from the other side, sounding worried, because he must've detected the urgent and panic in her shaking voice.

"Tell you later. I need your help. Am I allowed to use your dad's jet?" She asked in a rush, looking around to see if Thalia had told the police about her. Even though she was a celebrity, but the harm was done, and it was more severe than she would thought of, because Luke was unconscious, and no matter what, she would be inquired even if there were evidence that Luke had drugged her and took advantage of her.

"I'll ask him…"

"Okay, make it quick, or else, you might have to come all the way to San Francisco and bail me out of jail."

"What have you done?"

"Just go ask already, I just need his permission, I promise I will tell you." She snapped impatiently, but still kept her voice down, she didn't want attention. The line went dead. She knew that once Luke was conscious her name would be told in any second, so this would be her only chance to leave and preferably make it safe to Manhattan and deal with it later.

She chose an empty area and set down, looking around behind her shade, she started to analyze people, it was one of her ways of calming her down.

 _See you in few hours. — Percy_

Right after she got this text, she didn't even bother to reply. She got to the gate and showed the guard the permission form sent by Percy in the second text and went in safely.

Annabeth had nothing to do on the plane, she asked for a piece of paper and a pen. At first she was about to draw something, probably buildings, but then words kept flow through her mind, so she changed her mind and started to jot down lyrics. As the plane touch down, there were two songs finished on that piece of paper. It seemed to get her mind off what happened earlier a little, but when she reread the lyrics, it looked like two break up songs, but if only you know the background of its composition.

She got down the plane with the paper in her hand and hugging her coat as she step down the jet. The wind was too big for her to register what was happening, the night sky wasn't as clear, she could only make out several male figures and a car parked near the plane. She was soon embraced by someone, who had a smell of the mix of different kind of perfume, and behind that scent, there was a little trace of ocean breeze. She smiled and ducked her head, she leaned into that figure.

"Thanks. Sorry to bother you." Annabeth said quietly once she got into the car.

"Anything for you."

"Aren't you suppose to be producing some Christmas special for a movie that I don't remember the name?"

"Done that already."

She nodded, and stared outside the window.

"Annabeth."

"Hmm?" She didn't turn away from the window.

"I have a question."

"Yea?"

He was about to ask when he spot the piece of paper in her hand. "Okay, maybe more than one."

"Just ask, I might not even answer them."

"Okay. What happened?"

"I might have a criminal record from now on." She mumbled still keeping her gaze focused on the moving buildings.

"Got into a fight? Judging from the fact that you're wearing shades at the night."

"Yea…"

"With who though?"

"Castellan." She mumbled under her breath. Not daring to look at Percy to see if he heard it or not.

Apparently he did not, because after a while, he asked.

"Do you have depression?" Annabeth was really taken aback by this serious question, she turned her head to him just to make sure that he was the one who just spoke. She didn't answer, partly because she didn't feel comfortable talking about personal sensations in front of an unfamiliar person, which was Percy's driver.

"Why?"

"The two songs you sung on Thanksgiving."

"It's the truth."

"Okay." He said skeptically, but dropped it.

"What happened though?" He changed another subject.

"A lot had, and can we not talk about it here? I don't feel like talking right now."

"Sure." He shrugged.

"I am now a celeb with a criminal record."

"How so?"

"Tomorrow."

He pursed his lips, but said nothing.

Annabeth leant her head on his shoulder, and he put an arm protectively around her. Her eyes still staring at the moving buildings, but her mind was blank. And she wanted it to stay that way. Void.

When they got to her place, she said.

"Thank you for the ride and tell your dad I said thank you." She opened the door ready to get out.

"Annabeth." She turned around, one foot was already out the car. "Do me one favor. Stop pushing away the people that cared about you." He looked at her earnestly and offered a small smile and nodded. "Good night."

"Night." She muttered and got off, thinking of the favor.

He gave up. Completely. Utterly on her. Annabeth Chase. The only girl he had ever poured his heart and soul in.

Annabeth locked herself in her room the whole night. She did nothing more but recorded the song. She knew Percy had saw this piece of paper with words, but probably couldn't read it under the dim light.

As much as this sounded woeful, it was true that she was all by her own now. Sitting on her bed on a morning with possibly no one at home, she flipped through her diary that she started ever since her dad disowned her. She realized that it stopped till the point that she got into college. Thinking about her dad brought back all sorts of terrible memories, excluding the most recent one, it was still more than enough for a person in a life time. No one had possibly went through what she had been through, it seemed like to her that all tragedies would end up on her. She was just a collection of tragedies, her comedies were pathetically little, almost neglect, it could be ignored.

She thought starting a band, pouring every inch of her into music would get her off her chaotic life, but it lured her into a much deeper trap, an abyss. And now it was impossible for her to ever reach the brightness.

Percy had asked her if she had depression on the ride from the airport. Honestly, this was a question that struck her all her life. Since the day she learned the symptoms of different levels of depression, she had been doubting herself. It didn't help that she had confronted a therapist. To help her condition, she got herself into psychology studies, and she indeed exceed on this area. Nevertheless, her conditions were still not ideal, thinking happy things did help, yet they seemed to be all sucked out from her when she was alone or without a distraction. Usually, she would bury her nose in books to distract her, to make her clear out any negative thoughts from her mind. She constantly had dreams about her cutting herself, and she felt relieved and good rather than hurt and pain. Whenever she laid on her bed at night, unhappy memories flood into her mind, sucking out all her happiness and resurfacing her deepest pain in the heart. All that, however, built a wall in her heart and throughout her life, as the symptoms of depression slowly took control over her every emotions, the wall strengthened. The night that Percy cheated on her unintentionally destroyed the last bit of hope in her, swallowed whatever was left in her, and jeopardized all the plans and strategies that started to form in order to fight with depression. No one was confirmed by her about her conditions, because it wouldn't show if she was with someone, or if she was been distracted by books or musics.

Lost in thoughts again, she jumped when her door was opened with a squeak.

"Hey." Nico walked in, cautiously, wondering if he had disturbed another Annabeth-thinking-session.

"Hey." She replied softly, looking at him, and offered a tiny smile, but that gave him enough courage to come near and sat down.

"I wanted to tell you about what I talked to Percy in thanksgiving, I think you deserved to know."

"Okay…" She was about to ask did that explain the cold-shoulder he had given her ever since, but restrained it, she looked at him encouragingly and waited patiently for him to start.

"You know that I'm homosexual, and you know that I'm seeing someone and refused to tell you." Annabeth nodded, and signaled him to continue. "That someone was Percy." Nico looked up to the ceiling, avoiding Annabeth's gentle gaze. "Explained everything." Annabeth said softly, nodding. Nico's head snapped back and stared at Annabeth. "He told you?" Pointing a finger at her expressing his utter surprise.

"Not a word." She shook her head slightly. Nico was more confused. "You know that I figure things out on my own after I found people acting abnormal don't you?" She sat up, and leaned towards Nico. "After I spot you with Will that morning, you started to act in a more stranger way, and you seemed sad after the talk with Percy, and Percy had a guilty look on his face, although it might not be obvious to most people. You started to give me a cold-shoulder ever since. I really wanted to know why, but since you didn't want to talk to me, I didn't push it. You confessed your feelings to him didn't you, and he rejected you."

"Yea, he did."

"I'm sorry." She went for a hug, and he returned it, it was short, but it was enough for the two.

"He told me that he is not gay, and that he is in love with someone else." Nico thought back to his conversation with Percy. He suddenly stood up, flared of anger came out from his nostrils. He pointed an accusing finger at Annabeth. "But that someone never returned the favor, she is too selfish to know about how the others felt, never giving a damn to other people's life."

Annabeth slowly twined a hand around his finger and curled the out stretched finger back, steadily and softly, she looked up at him and said, "Will's here for you." Then nodded her chin towards the entrance of her room, surely there stood Will Solace, thinking that he interrupted something important. "If you don't want me as your friend, I will understand." She gave him a sad smile and went back to her diary.

Closing it after Will and Nico left, she pulled out her song book since high school, there weren't many songs in there. Wanting to distract herself, she went to the small studio in her room, she plugged her laptop in and started to mix the tune for her high school songs.

* * *

 **A/N: I have to say that I'm not really sure about the time zone difference between Manhattan and San Francisco, so if the time was incorrect, just ignore it, or maybe if you know what's the correct time, you can tell me about it if you want. Also, Silena and Beckendorf will be out of the story for now, I'm not planning any roles for them right this time, maybe in the future. Also, Colli is just a passer-by, if you want her in further stories, include it in your review. Thalia in this story sounded pathetic, I know, and that's part of my aim, though I know that she isn't this kind of person in the book.**

 **Dedication**

 **Isklingr-kun: I know that I had already replied your review personally, but I still wanna thank you for your review and the support you've given. I remember I told you that I won't be updating for some while, but since I need to get prepared for school that's starting soon, I decide to post it. This one is not as long, but I hope you liked it, too. :)**

 **Guest: Haha, thank you. A Percabeth shipper aren't ya? XD Your request is noted. I may or may not be fulfilling your request, and that is for you to find out in the next chapter. ;)**


	12. Twelve

**A/N: Just a short explanation here, I know that some of my** **chapters are not as long, and did not contain much information, or content, but it's been looked as a foreshadow in my plan, it is used to hint that something big will be happening in the next chapter or so. If you didn't understand my explanation, don't bother, it really isn't that important.**

* * *

She had written quite a lot of songs in high school. Never had she realized that she was that lonely. She laughed bitterly at the thought. Lonely. She was always a loner. She never socialize, she was actually unsure how she got a friend like Nico. She never really socialize with people nor interact. Always on her own. She had gotten used to that already when she left her home. All on her own. She didn't want to remember anything that happened in the past, especially that concerns her family. It disgusted her to know that Luke was her cousin. On the outside, she seemed to be a strong and tough gothic rock star, no one knew about her drug use except for Percy and Thalia, but what she had present to public wasn't the real her. She had changed on the outside, still, there was a chance of bringing the old Annabeth back. Its just time consuming. To people who truly, deeply cared about her were willing to sacrifice their time to bring her back. She was sinking, deeper each day. If there weren't Nico and Percy and Piper to accompany her, she would be a void body without a soul; an empty case without the fillings. Her soul was fading. She was fading. She would never admit it, but she needed help from the others. The once independent girl was completely destroyed and shattered by feelings and emotions. The last solid brick in her broke down last Christmas. The image would always be existing in her memory vividly. Unforgettable. Forever ungrateful.

* * *

 _Meal or walk? — Annabeth_

 _Both central park in 15 — Piper_

 _Thx. C U then — Annabeth_

Annabeth smiled and clenched her phone near her chest.

New year had past with Annabeth locking herself in her little studio in her room mixing musics that were not planned to be released.

The weather was still cold out side. Even though Manhattan was a city that was never cold, but the noisiness couldn't help the weather.

Seizing her long black leather coat, and black soft comfy scarf, she grabbed her keys and put on her boots, again, in black. Every part of her clothing was black, and even her nails were black. On normal people, it would be an indication of been cool, but on her, it made her more goth like and more scary looking. What she had presented was a cold and unapproachable person, and that was exactly what she wanted.

"Hey Pipes."

"Hey."

"Ditching Jason today?"

"Ha, yea, ditching him for you will always be my priority. Why summon me? Not that I don't like it, I really need to talk to someone that is not a male too. Been spending too much time with Percy and Jason."

"I summoned you because, well several reason, but mainly I needed some air and I wanted to talk to someone that I haven't exactly pushed away, according to Percy."

"Mind if I ask, what's with you and Jason? Percy came home yesterday worrying about you and this morning you hung up on him. Jason was saying something about he knew you would mistreat him or something like that, and something about high school times. I don't know. But why though? I mean no offense."

"None taken. Honestly, I don't know. I really don't. Jason knew nothing about what happened that night, you knew about it, well, you knew what really happened. I think Jason only saw the outcome, which is the façade that he put on. I left him a note after I got him home."

"You broke up with him."

"Yes. And he probably showed it to Jason or called him or something on the next day. It happened on a Friday night."

"Okay. So what I'm getting is that, Jason is blaming you for breaking his heart because you broke up with him after you caught him making out with Calypso."

"Yes. He didn't like my know-it-all attitude, which I thought I don't have one, but maybe I do." She chuckled. "But I don't think that was what he resent me the most, what he really held against me was the fact that I am best friends with his sister, which he never gotten along with. Now that I regret that decision of befriending Thalia rather than Jason, but that's another topic."

"I want to know what exactly happened between Jason and Thalia, I mean they are twins after all."

"They are. I'll explain that later. So when Percy asked me out, I can feel the hate radiating off him, but he put up with me because of the sake that I'm his best friend's girlfriend. Percy, of course, been oblivious as he always is, didn't know that, he wouldn't notice little things. Because I was friends…"

"Wait, was."

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"Later. You missed out a lot."

"Okay, does Percy knows about this change?"

"No, he doesn't. I didn't tell him, and I probably lost my chance too."

"Okay. You didn't lost your chance though."

She waved it off, and continued.

"He, Jason, resents Thalia and her friends, but somehow he managed a fine relationship with Nico, their other cousin, but held something against me, which till now, I still have no idea of. I mean, I held nothing against him, but he always seemed to have the similar attitude as my dad."

"Uh huh…"

"Let me start from my family, so that I can fulfill Percy's last request."

"Why did you hung up on him though?"

"The simple answer is that because tons of elephants were having a party in my brain the time he called, and he woke me up, so I'm frustrated and irritated and so I didn't proceed who called. The more accurate answer would be more complicated and I will tell you, but that has to do with everything that had happened in my life so far. I will make it brief, and I know that you are good at picking up important bits."

"Start then."

"Let's have a simple start. I don't have a family. Don't gasp, because if you do it now, you're gonna be out of breath after you hear about all the shit that happened. Also, just because you're oh so interested in my love life, I'm going to tell you this. Percy knows about everything before college graduation. May I continue."

"Yes. Please."

"My parents never got married, and they never gave a shit about me, I was just a mistake, an accident to both of them. They argued about who was going to take me, because both of them don't want this responsibility, in the end, my dad took me in, but never took care of me. I ran away, and found Luke and Thalia. They gave me the home that I once dreamt of. They were two years older than me. We got into the same school, and were still close. We were in the same school all the way till after high school. Luke went, and it was only me and Thalia left. We got into the same college. I dated Luke in my sophomore year when he was a senior in high school, but then we broke up, mainly because he wanted more from me, but I couldn't grant it. We were still on good terms I guess. Never have I ever thought of him coming back on me for revenge in college. So you know what happened in that part. And I ended with Percy. Five years after our graduation, I started a band and the rest you know.

What no one knows is my downfall with Thalia. Remember that time when a drunken Thalia went to your house and got into a fight with Jason, and you called me for help but I didn't come? Yea, that's when Thalia told be that she is seeing Luke. I mean if she truly loves him, then I'm fine with it as long as Luke doesn't come bothering me. My dad wanted me home for Christmas, so I went, but it turns out that Luke's my cousin." She let out the part that she was into drugs and alcohol and self-abuse, and the fact that she was a virgin.

"What the fuck?" Piper gasped.

"Exactly right? The fucking hell. Thalia was there too. I thought staying a dinner with them won't hurt, but I was too naive, really. He asked Thalia to drug me, and he took advantage of me."

"Wait, so he had sex with you?"

"Yep."

"Does Thalia know?"

"She knew about it afterwards, after I sort of committed a crime."

"So now you got a criminal record?"

"Maybe, depends on how much information they leaked."

"How though?"

"Because I was so pissed that he drugged me and took advantage of me, I may or may not have punched the light out of him the next day morning when he was eating Thalia."

"What's her reaction then?"

"She choses him afterwards of course, but I sort of threatened her not to call the police when I was still in the crime scene, you could say. I beat him up pretty badly, but it's not fatal."

"Whoa Annabeth."

"Yea, I know."

"That's incest though, you can charge him with it."

"But the damage I had done to him was more serious than the one he'd done to me."

"You should tell Percy about this."

"I don't need him." She snapped suddenly. "Sorry Piper, didn't mean that." She added guiltily.

"It's fine."

"You're out with Jason tonight right? A date?" Changing the subject, wanting to drop the subject on her. Piper nodded. She sent her a apologetic smile when she noticed her slight disappointment.

"I'm sorry."

"No. No, no. There's nothing you should feel sorry for. Really, I can't have you forever, you need to spend time with him as well. The longer I spend with you the more might sabotage your relationship with him."

"Wait, what?"

"Don't you see? You know what really happened to me, and why I did what I did, but he doesn't, and when you asked him about me, about why he dislike me so much, you will start to defend me because you know what he said is not true. And you two will start to argue over me, and I'm not even important to your relationship. Having an argument over me and worsening your relationship is the last thing I want, okay? So, Piper, do me a favor, don't try to talk to him about me. Just don't. I don't want to ruin your happy family." Annabeth begged genuinely, she was really concerned her jeopardizing their relationship indirectly.

The rest of their lunch they talked about many random stuff that did not involve herself and other complicated stuff. They had a pretty good time, it also helped Annabeth to get her mind off.

She told Piper that she would be going back with her and tried to talk to Percy. But that was not her real intention. She was there to check on something. More specifically, a property of hers that she had hid there six years ago.

* * *

"Hey, where's Percy?"

"Out on a date." Jason shrugged. Piper spared a worried glance at Annabeth who remained her poker face.

"Annabeth."

"Jason."

They greeted each other with a nodded, but there was still tension between them.

"Make yourself at home Annabeth." Piper said before going inside with Jason.

Annabeth went under the couch. She remembered she left one of her sketch books here five years ago. Probably it's time for her to continue or finish the drawings inside and possibly start a new design. Hoping that she could find it she lifted the seat of the sofa and searched. Just as she started to flip through and get the idea resurface back into her mind and continue with her designs that she did five years ago. She saw Percy's comments on each page of her designs, and he had written the most on a picture she drew of him. She turned to a new page and grabbed the pencil attached to the sketch book in her hand.

The door opened just as she was about to start her latest design.

Two people came in. One with black hair and another with red. Annabeth looked back to her sketchpad and pretend not to notice anyone.

"Oh, you're back. Hi Rachel." Jason smiled and stretched his hand out to shook hers. She smiled shyly. Piper quickly looked at Annabeth who was lying on her stomach, drawing, oblivious to her surroundings. Piper sighed sadly inside, and turn around to greet Rachel and Percy.

"You seemed to took my advise well Perce." Jason clasped a hand on one of his shoulder. Percy smiled uneasily, but his face fell completely when he saw Annabeth on his floor with the sketch book opened.

Her head snapped up when she heard Piper asked.

"You told him to didn't you? How dare you Jason Grace?" Piper hissed angrily, so that Rachel couldn't hear it.

"Piper." Annabeth said calmly, looking up at Piper gently, ignoring the silence and the attention that everyone in the room's giving her. "Remember what I told you today. What's done is done. You know what's the last thing I want didn't you."

Piper sighed in defeat and gave one last glare at Jason and turned back to Annabeth, and mouthed 'talk to him please' while giving a slight nod at Jason's direction. 'I'll try' Annabeth mouthed back. She smiled sympathetically at Annabeth, she smiled back and shook her head gently to wave it off.

Rachel followed Piper inside the house leaving Jason and Percy and Annabeth in an awkward silence.

"Why are you all staring at me?" Her eyes darting between Percy and Jason. "Or glaring in Jason's case." She added while staring straight into Jason's electric blue eyes, not flinching a bit.

"Go have sex with Rachel." She said to Percy, and turned to Jason. "Can we talk?"

"What if I wanted it with you?" Percy walked closer and crouched down in front of Annabeth who was sitting on the floor leaning against the couch.

Slap. Annabeth's hand went across his cheek.

"Sorry. Got carried away." She mumbled and looked away, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves.

Percy did not really understand why she did that, but he did know that he crossed the line this time. Someone had cleared her throat when Percy was still regretting what he said, he didn't know that he was still in front of Annabeth who had already turned her focus back onto her designs.

"You done?" Rachel asked Percy, and glared at Annabeth's back, much to Percy's distaste. Before Percy could get a word out of his mouth. Annabeth stood up, snapped shut her sketch, and turned to Percy pointing a finger to her book.

"I'll trust you one last time. Keep it."

Percy nodded numbly and his gaze followed her going figure, and stared back at the book.

He turned back to find an annoyed Rachel standing there with her hands on her hips, looking at him expectantly.

"I'll be there in a moment.

He picked up her sketch book as Rachel went up stairs. Holding in his hand, hesitating whether to have a peek. At last, he decided against it. Putting it back to where Annabeth originally had putted, he went up stairs.

* * *

Piper opened the door of Percy's apartment expecting to be a mail, but instead she found Annabeth.

"Wow. Eh… Hey I mean." Piper was taken by surprise. "What are you doing here."

"Well, I wanna show you something." Taking off her coat revealing a very thin strapped black leather short tank top. Underneath with a pair of high waist shorts. She had a pair of very long leather boots with no heels, long enough to reach her mid thigh. "Sorry that I didn't tell you earlier." She said as she take off her boots and hung up her jacked on the rack.

"When did you get that? It's cool." Piper pointed at the tattoo on her left shoulder. It began from the bottom of the right side of her neck, and it went under her neck, above her chest, and to her left collar bone, going over her left shoulder and making an U-shape on her left shoulder blade then along the back of her neck up to near the first tattoo she had in the back of her left ear. It went around the bottom of her left earlobe and ended on her left temple near her left eye. It was a cobra with a wide open mouth and revealing its sharp teeth.

"Glad you liked it."

"And you got a piercing too? When? Why didn't you call me? I wanted one too." Piper didn't even let Annabeth finish her previous sentence, as she started to go all obsessive over Annabeth's small silver lip ring.

"Will you stop fangirling over me, you will attract to many unnecessary attention —"

"What are you squealing at?" There came Jason's voice.

"That's an unnecessary attention." Annabeth hissed, pulling Piper closer. "Unless you can get him to help, I will not forgive you for fangirling over me, and possibly lose your chance to get something cool with me next time."

Annabeth looked up and bit the ring on her lip, playing with it slightly. It became a habit of hers ever since she got it.

"Now, shall we go to your room? I remember there's a drum set." Annabeth proceed without permission. "This," Annabeth took out a piece of paper and shoved in Piper's hand, "is the new song that I wrote a few weeks ago. Personally, I prefer the acoustic version."

"Sweet Things?" Jason asked in disgust.

"Problem?" Annabeth was still been patient with him.

"Yes. Nothing in your hand would be sweet, Annabeth."

"So I've been told." Annabeth shrugged. Piper felt the tension grew in between them. She opened her mouth about to ease the tension, but was stopped by Annabeth's hand. "Piper, remember our deal?" She nodded, eyeing her quizzically. "So is it possible that I sort this out with him myself, so that I wouldn't further ruin things." Annabeth asked gently. "You can stay, but just stay silent okay?" Piper sat down.

Jason glared at Annabeth.

"Now, Jason, I don't know what grudge you're holding against me, or is because my style that you distaste. Care to tell me what have I done to make you hate me so much?"

"Well, first of all, you hurt Percy, and now that you're influencing and poisoning my girlfriend. I think that's enough information to you."

Piper was about to say something, but shut up when she got a look from Annabeth.

In the other room, Percy and Rachel were pillow talking, or rather Percy's way of dating. Moans and names could be heard loud and clear, it clearly disgusted Piper, Jason and Annabeth. All three of them were trying hard to get the image out of their mind and tried very hard to not listen. It was not because the sound proof system was bad, but because they were way too loud.

"Fine, first thing first. Get them to quiet down." Annabeth huffed. Clearly that all three of them were extremely annoyed. "Jason, will you help?"

"How?"

"Simple." Annabeth take out the music sheets. "Piper, drum or bass?"

"Drum, because Jason only knows how to play a bass."

"I'm on guitar then. So what we will do is to do the acoustic version of this song. I already got both versions, but I still wanna see if we can improve. And we make everything as loud as we could." Jason nodded. "Jason, count the beat."

Annabeth started to strum the guitar.

 _Evil had knockin' on my door_

 _Evil making me its whore_

 _I don't mind if you take what's yours_

 _But give me mine_

 _Evil, want you to know_

 _I'm much too young to be owned_

 _I don't mind if you take what's yours_

 _But give me mine_

Annabeth started to sing in a loud and low voice.

Jason started to tap on the cymbal, and Piper started, still in a low voice. But singing louder than needed because their priority was to annoy the couple next door.

"Hey, guys." Annabeth shouted suddenly, and every stopped abruptly. "I think if Jason sang this part in the acoustic version, it would be better because he has a lower voice." Annabeth still speaking in a loud voice, which looked weird because the other two were quite, but they knew why she did that. They all started laughing all of a sudden, laughing in the top of their lungs. "What about we start again and this time Jason sings it?" Piper yelled over the laughters. They sounded like they were having a party.

Jason started this time, continuing from where they left off the first.

 _Hey there, little girl_

 _Come inside I've got some sweet things_

 _Put your hair in curls_

 _Wait you up just like a drag queen_

"What the heck Annabeth? The lyrics, can it be more nonsense?" Jason stopped and pointed to the lyrics.

"Ditto." Piper replied, and Annabeth with a nod.

The door bursted open just as Annabeth opened her mouth to reply.

A very messed up Percy without a t-shirt, and a half buttoned pants stood at the door. Behind him stood a highly embarrassed Rachel with her shirt inside out and her hair completely out of order.

"Are you having a party or what? And since when do you work with Annabeth Jason?" A highly irritated Percy barked, although his eyes showed otherwise.

"Since now." Jason said nonchalantly and shrugged. Piper couldn't bear it anymore, she let out a giggle to suppress a laugh. Percy eyed her with a raised eyebrow.

"Go fuck your red-head." Annabeth snapped at him.

"I am, until you decided to have a party next door."

"Yes we are having a party because you two are making the whole house sounding like a sex club."

He left rolling his eyes, slamming the door behind.

"High five people." Piper shouted. "Mission complete!"

Jason did a drum roll on the drum set and they all started to laugh again.

"You're a bad influence Annabeth, I don't want my girlfriend to become a punk like you."

"Me? A punk? You kidding me?" She feigned surprise. Her lip ring dangling on her bottom lip as her mouth hung open. "I'm a goth. Fine maybe a mixture of goth and punk. Whatever you prefer." She added. Jason sniggered.

"You two good?" Piper asked, still unsure what had happened between the two.

"Ask him." Annabeth said while Jason said, "depends."

"So good or not."

This time Annabeth just nudged her head towards Jason's direction while strumming the guitar on her lap absently.

"Piper, as long as you don't follow her lead, then I'm good." Jason said pointedly to his girlfriend who made a face at him.

"Oh and Jason, we share mutual feelings for your sister by the way."

"Huh?"

"You tell him or I tell him?" She asked Piper. She then added, before Piper could register what she meant. "Actually, why don't you tell the story, I need to go now. My drama here's finished for today. I will be here tomorrow to interrupt their sweet talk." Annabeth said pointing to the next room.

"You two good?" Piper asked one last time for reassurance.

"Yep, it's stupid anyway." Jason mumbled and his face turned red. "What is it about Thalia?"

The door split opened, and Percy came in again.

"Can you just stop the party?"

"Why?" Annabeth asked, trying to annoy him more.

"Let's have a chat outside, Jace." Piper stood up and dragged Jason out the door.

Percy glanced behind him and around after Piper and Jason left. He then slipped inside and locked the door behind him.

"I know it was your idea wasn't it?"

"What idea?" Annabeth attempted to play dumb, trying to ignore the subject and get the picture of Percy and the red head in bed out of her head.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"No I don't, unfortunately."

"Why did you do that? We were in the middle having sex."

"That I noticed, but you were only having sex with one person, yet you made it sound like the whole house was been fucked. So shut it or quit it." Annabeth snapped her fingers in his face and glared at him. "It didn't seem like you care anyway."

Percy didn't really mind them interrupting his sex with Rachel, he actually found it amusing. He didn't care about it, it was meaningless anyway. He only paid half attention to what Annabeth had just said, what he focused on more was Annabeth's piercing and her new tattoo.

Annabeth had her long curly hair tied up in a lose low pony tail, and her ears and the side of her neck were exposed, revealing her new tattoo. Her tank top wasn't exactly a high collar shirt, so ever bits of her cobra tattoo was displayed. She noticed Percy's stare, first her piercing then her tattoo, his eyes flickered to her thigh, tried to get a peek at the tattoo in her inner thigh, but was covered with her shorts.

She bit her piercing when she noticed Percy's eyes were on them. Percy took it as seduction, but that was not what she meant.

He slowly walked towards her. With only his boxers on, he surely was 'the sexiest man alive', but she wasn't going to admit it in his face. Not that was because she was too prideful, but because she didn't want to help boost his ego, it would be a pain in the ass if he ever heard about this compliment coming from her mouth.

His actions and movements seemed like they were done in slow motions. She kept her gaze upon him. Not with a wistful lusty face, drooling over the sight, but with a blank expression. Not that she didn't find him attractive, she did actually, but all these year's hard-core training she'd down to herself, it turned her into a cold hearted woman on the outside. She usually gave her opponent a fake impression, by giving them false information using her emotions in order to give them the idea that they did not get what they wanted, and would not succeed their goal.

Percy pressed his lips on to the left side of her temple, where the head of the cobra was. As his lips moved along the tattoo, he stopped at the back of her left ear. He felt her breath hitched. He sucked on her earlobe then the tattoo behind it gently, easing her slightly. His right hand went over to her shoulder taking her hair with it as he settled to the other side. He was now sitting behind her on the bed, legs on both sides of her, his thighs gently brushed her waist. His other hand went for the guitar on her lap. Slowly, without removing his lips from her earlobe, he pulled it out of her grasp and set it on the floor without a noise.

He was enjoying the unmoving Annabeth. Moving his lips on her skin expertly. But his nourishment was soon been cut off. She turned around abruptly, causing him to jerk away, and sat on his lap, with her knees on each side of him.

"Now that you're experienced." She said slowly in a hoarse, lose low, sexy voice, inching her body closer to his. Her arms went around his neck. She pressed her chest onto his, and whispered into his ear, her warm breath tickled the side of his neck. "What are you planning?" Drawing circles with her fingertips lightly on his back. Very slowly, she sucked on his collarbone and trailing up to his neck. He let out a moan as she continued.

"Hmm… Since when are you this skillful?" He managed to breath out between moans. He tilted his head to allow her more access to his neck.

"I'm always an expert at torturing you." She mumbled against his skin as she continued to kiss his neck. He felt a smirk slowly forming on her lips.

"Did you give me hickeys?" Annabeth shook her head with a sly smile on her face. "God. You got this tattoo to seduce me didn't you." He was now returning the favor as he continued from her earlobe and to the back of her neck. "Mmm…" Was the only thing that she managed. His hand went under her leather tank top, moving up and down, trailing her spinal cord with his fingertips. She shivered at the touch, he chuckled and carried on.

Her lips moved onto his. He licked across her lips, lingering on her lip piercing, taking the small metallic ring in between his teeth, pulling it slightly. She took this chance to enter her tongue into his mouth, exploring, and tasting it like this was her first time. His hands rested on top of her bra strap. Without notice, he slid his fingers around the clip. As he was about to unhood it, he got pushed on to the bed by the shoulders.

Annabeth still seated on his waist looking down at him with an expression that he couldn't quite make out.

"I am not your fuck buddy. I remember you bringing one though. If I'm not mistaken, she is still there, half naked, waiting for you." She mumbled, loud enough for him to hear as she trailed a finger around his face, under his chin and along his sternum. She knew that this series of movements would turn him on, but for now, turning him on was easy, judging by the fact that he was already on something before she oh-so innocently intruded. She simply just wanted to tease him, and enjoy it plainly, not other intentions.

"I wouldn't mind cheating as long as it's with you and not on you." He shrugged, and smiled. Annabeth didn't know what to feel. One, she was fuming that he even had the cheek to smile after what he tried to do. Two, he just hinted that he would still do anything for her, that she was still his priority. She shook her head. Percy took this split second of hesitation, and pulled her back on to him. He peppered kisses on her left shoulder blade where the tattooed cobra made an U-shape.

"Perv." She elbowed him lightly in the stomach.

"Nope." He captured her lips, it startled her slightly. "I'm your little piece of shit." And pecked on her nose, as she punched him in the chest.

"Nuh uh, bitch, you're a goddamn motherfucker."

"You little piece of shit."

"Is that the only swear words you know?" Annabeth sat up and got off. "Sucka!" She stuck her tongue out at him, and started to gather up her things. "By the way, go through that book I left here, you will find something. Ask Piper if you don't understand." She licked her lip ring seductively. Then, she heard Rachel from the other room calling Percy's name, and telling him that she would be leaving if he wouldn't show up.

"Holy crap! I forgot her completely."

"Bullshit." She chuckled at his act. "Now, I guess it's my cue to leave. Bye loser."

* * *

One morning, Percy got up lazily, and went down stairs. Sitting on the sofa, just as he was about to turn on the TV with the remote in his hand, he remembered something. He put down the remote control, and stood up. Lifting up the seat of the couch, he picked up the large sketchbook. Opening it.

He went through each page from the beginning, and read through the comments that he made. Most of them were unanswered, however, some were replied by her, Annabeth. Till the last page, to where the newest drawing was. He saw a simple drawing of an owl. Beneath it had a few lines written.

 _You were drugged._

 _The same happened to me._

 _We were both the victim,_

 _just different times._

 _Different places, different people, yet, with the same method._

 _There's no one to blame, no one to forgave._

 _I just wish I was never alive._

 _Remember,_

 _you're the best thing that has ever happened to me._

He smiled at the last sentence. He cherished everyday and every moment he spent with her, it was good to know that she felt the same too. He just hope that he still had a chance with her. That she didn't give up on him, on them completely

He shut the book and closed his eyes. He let the words sink into him, trying to decipher what this means. He had no idea how Piper would understand such thing, but he decided to ask.

* * *

 **A/N: I need to apologize for a confusion here. Okay, so maybe (or it's just me) I had given you the impression of Luke is in the same year and in the same college as Percy and Annabeth, but I was wrong, he left. He and Percy never go along in high school, and Luke was after him for some reason that did not matter in this case. Everything that was said by Annabeth in this chapter is what's true, if there's something that was said previously and showed up in this chapter with a different explanation, stick with this one and forget the previous one. Am I clear? Or am I more confusing? I just wanted to apologize for this huge confusion. I am really really really sorry about it. What's posted is what's posted, it can't be changed. I so so so sorry. I really am. There isn't much about Annabeth's past written in previous chapters, so just fill your mind with her recount of her history written in this chapter.**

 **I know I'm a horrible writer, and I will get all these nasty comments and stuff. This mess that I created unintentionally in this story just reflects how recked my life is. I'm not finding excuses, I know I didn't fulfill my responsibility as an author, again, I'm sorry, but my life is just a complete mess right now, writing is able to keep my mind off for a little while.**

 **Dedication**

 **Guest: Again, thank you, for both your compliment and your review. :) It really is a huge encouragement to me. You made me smile when I got it. Really, thank you. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter as well.**

 **Islingr-kun: Thank you! I mean I know that you don't really mind how long as long as update, and from the reviews I get, I don't think most of them mind as well. I might be posting more than one chapter today, because it will probably be the last update before my school starts, and with school and stuff, I might not be able to even write on the weekends.**


	13. Thirteen

**A/N: This is a short chapter, and I also remember when replying a review that the last chapter is not the only update in this day, so here we are, the second update today. I updated more than once because my school's starting, so I wanted to post it before I forgot. The next two chapters may or may not be posted today. No promises.**

* * *

"Piper?"

"Yea?"

"Can you come here for a sec?"

"Sure. What?"

"Annabeth said that you will understand it."

"Lemme see."

"Do you?"

"Yep. But first of all, care to tell me what happened between you two after I left with Jason yesterday? Oh, and also, how did it go with Rachel?"

"Dammit Pipes. Stop gossiping."

"Dammit Perce. Stop whining."

"Okay, okay, I'll say. Nothing happened between us, and she told me to read this before she left. I broke up with Rachel, she's too clingy."

"Mm hmm… Is it only too clingy? Or is it because you only wanted her for sex?"

"Actually, none of that."

"Then, care to explain?"

"No. Now will you tell me what this means?"

"No."

"Why? She said you understand it."

"I do, but she didn't say that I'm allowed to expand the meaning of it. Sorry, not my place to say." She stood up and left.

"What was that all about."

With a sigh, he put the book back to where it was.

Now sitting beside Piper on the high kitchen stool, sipping his tea while trying to think of a way to get Piper to explain. Piper, on the other hand was on her phone texting to Annabeth.

(Piper - Italic; Annabeth - bold italic)

 ** _Can I tell him_**

 **What?**

 ** _What you wrote_**

 **You're smart girlie**

 ** _XD. So can I?_**

 **Uh… No. I will do it.**

 ** _Kay. Don't keep him hanging. Not gonna wait forever._**

 **Then tell him to move on.**

 ** _Y?_**

 **Can't make promises I can't keep. Duh**

 ** _WTF?_**

 **I don't want to be in a relationship with anyone right now, and I don't know when I will, don't let me drag him down, I'll be a burden to him. Forget me**

 ** _What do I tell him then? He's bedsides me right now_**

 **Nothin**

 ** _Fuck I can't, he peering_**

This time, she got no respond. She waited, but still didn't get any respond.

"How much did you see?"

"The last three lines."

Phew, Piper thought.

 _Sorry to make things awkward between you and him. I'll make it up to you, it's a promise I will keep — AC_

* * *

"Annabeth where are you?" Percy said in the phone, hardly containing his excitement.

"Huh? At home. Why?" There came Annabeth's confused voice.

"Come to Frank's now. Just drop whatever you're doing."

"Okay." She answered hesitantly but did what was told.

When she arrived, she got jumped by a bunch of people. Her hands went to her belt, but was ushered inside before she could take out her weapon.

"Happy Birthday Annabeth!"

Everyone was there, Percy, Jason, Piper, Nico, Frank, even Hazel and Will were there. She got hugged by everyone present. For the first time in a long time, she laughed, and it was genuine, not something she faked.

Percy gave her a kiss on the forehead as she tackled him for a hug.

"Thanks guys! You really don't have to do this, guys."

Every eyes turned towards Percy. He got nervous a little.

"Thank you Seaweed Brain."

Before he could register what happened, he got tackled into another hug by Annabeth, and eased the tension.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Annabeth saw two people. Her eyes met with one of them's, they walked away, and disappeared almost immediately after she spotted them. It was like magic. They came out of thin air, and vanished the same. She excused herself from her friends as they continued to party, and walked towards the direction where she saw these two utterly familiar people. She kept walking and reached an entrance to a dark place, she hesitated but retreated. She saw no one on the way. Hands on her belt, she poked her head in and looked around, but saw no one. With her heart pumping nervously she walked back to where her friends were and tried to forget what she saw.

"Happy birthday Annabeth. I'm Hazel by the way." A short girl next to Frank said. Annabeth went for a hug. "Thank you."

It was really a small celebration, no one was invited that was not their friends. Suddenly, everyone quieted down, and all focused at the door. A limo stopped in front of it, and came down four people. They made their way towards the entrance.

People cleared out a path for them. Annabeth stood there, she recognized the two of them instantly, and grinned. She took a little longer staring at the last two people, a woman, with a large packet in her hand, and a man with what seemed like a book wrapped in a wrapper in his hand. Her eyes widened when she finally took in their appearances.

She charged towards the man with dirty blonde hair, and grey eyes, who was slightly taller than her.

"Holy shit Malcolm! You have no idea how much I missed you!" She hugged him tightly.

"Way to greet me squirt." He put her down and ruffled her hair, which wasn't something Annabeth appreciated, but she didn't bother to care, she was too happy to meet him after a long time.

Malcolm shook hands with Percy and shared a bro hug. They exchanged some brief greetings, and turned to watch Annabeth as she greeted Sally and Paul.

"Happy birthday, Annabeth." She turned around to find a woman looking a lot alike with her. The woman opened her arms asking for a hug with her gestures. Annabeth accepted. "Thanks Mom."

"Lots had changed since I last met you, we need to find sometime to catch up." Athena smiled at her daughter, in which she returned and nodded. Honestly, she didn't really want to share the detail of her life to her mom. Percy came to her to inform her about unwrapping the presents.

"Lady Athena." Percy stretched a hand out in a polite manner. His other hand was on the small of Annabeth's back, but he didn't seemed to noticed and Annabeth didn't seemed to care about the physical contact.

"Perseus." Athena shook his hand reluctantly. Her voice full of distaste.

Annabeth suddenly remembered why she didn't want to tell her mom about her life. "Mom, end that feud, or else I'm not catching up with you."

Athena glared at her half surprised, and was about to defend herself, but was cut in by Annabeth again. "You're the only one that refused to do so. Get over that little stupid misunderstanding will you?" She turned around and left with Percy to examine her presents.

"Oh by the way, my mom baked you a cake, it was the one your mom was holding when they came in."

"Ah here's the birthday girl." Sally made her way towards Annabeth, Paul on her tail.

"Thanks Sally, thank you Paul." Annabeth hugged Sally and shook hands with Paul.

Percy put an arm around her shoulder, and led her towards a corner, there put in a neat pile, the presents she received.

"How come I don't know about this?" She demand. Percy just smiled, and pressed a kiss in her hair. He panicked slightly after he did that, he was afraid of her reaction, but she had none, and he let out a sigh inaudibly.

"As for my present. I decide to give you personally." He put both hands on her shoulder and led her out of the noisy place. "Close your eyes." He whispered in her ear.

"God, you're cliché." But she did what she was told. She leaned into him for security and support.

"I'm not gonna be cliché if you're my girlfriend."

"Keep dreaming." She muttered, but deep down, she was glad that he still want her. She felt a sudden rush of guilt, because he wanted to be with her, but she didn't. Not that she didn't love him, but because she just didn't feel like having a boyfriend. It was just not her cup of tea for now.

She held her breath to feel Percy's reaction, luckily he took it as a joke and chuckled. She let out that breath as a relief silently.

"Ready?"

"Do I need a weapon?" She retort sarcastically.

"Take that as a yes then. Okay, open your eyes."

She opened them and it was pitch black.

"What the fuck? I can't see shit!"

"You just need time to adjust Wise Girl. Wait, back up, do you have a weapon."

"Course." She shrugged, and took out her gun. "Dammit Percy, just turn on the lights will you? Stop messing with me."

"That eager to see your presents."

"Turn it on or I will hunt you down."

"No you wouldn't, you can't even see me."

"Fuck you Jackson." She slammed her hand on the wall where she dimly saw a light switch. The room was lit up in an instant, and she saw Percy sitting in an armchair in the middle of the room, legs crossed and stared at her amusingly. He raised his arms up in surrender when Annabeth pointed her gun at him, but his smile was never rubbed off. "Are you going to kidnap me?"  
"You wouldn't mind if I did."

"True." She scanned around, it was just a small room with plain white walls. There was nothing. The only things was the armchair that Percy was sitting on in the middle of the room. "Is this some sort of room escape game that you want me to play for your entertainment?"

"Maybe." He shrugged, and gave her a cheeky grin.

"Hmm… Then maybe I should try another approach." She said slyly and straddled on his lap.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making you to show me my presents."

"How?"

"This." She smashed her lips on his and her hands went under his shirt, and moved down to where his belt was.

"You're gonna kiss your way up, Wise Girl?" Percy smirked against her lips. "That's so unlike you."  
"Yep. Where did that confident came from though?"

"From the fact that you don't have sex with males that are not your boyfriend."

"That might be true, but I never had sex with any of my boyfriends. Mind you, when you're not a virgin anymore, you're not going to give a fuck about who you're kissing."

"You're not a virgin?" He pulled away completely, looking at Annabeth with concerned eyes.

"Who took your v-card away?"

"Funny how you know the word." She chuckled, brushing a finger to his lips, sliding her other hand down his cheekbones, they stopped at under his chin.

She set one finger lightly on his lips and leant close to his face, they could felt each other's breaths. "Does it matter? It's not important." She whispered softly, and slowly, with each word she spoke, the air she breathed out tickled him.

"I don't want to have sex with you. I mean not in a meaningless way."

"You're the one to say. This coming out of the mouth of a sex god, sure, trustworthy, believable, but I won't buy it."

"Come on Annabeth. You really want to use this approach?" A smirk slowly resurfaced that covered up all his concerns.

"Why? You're chickening out?" She teased.

"Nope, but if you insist on kissing your way in, then I'd say it be insulting your intelligence."

Annabeth sighed, and shook her head in disbelieve.

"You know? I have to give you credit for planning this. You really spent some time on this didn't you?"

"Not only some, I spent weeks thinking about it. But, as I always say, anything for you."

"You're spoiling me."

"A hobby of mine."

"Ugh, cheesy. Lame." She waved a hand dismissively. "You really know how to waste wallpapers don't you. Glad you still remember what kind I fancy." She said, turning back to look at Percy, who had a faint blush on his cheek. "Blushy aren't we?" She teased.

"Hey, no one makes me blush."

"I'm an exception then I guess."

"I thought you would be examining your presents by now."

"Duh… But before I reveal my presents, I must comment on something. You do know that the more layers you put on these wallpapers the more obvious it gets."

"No I don't. Now that I learned something new."

She rolled her eyes, and walked towards the far back corner of the room. Raising her hand above her head, she ripped off the wallpaper.

"You made it a little bit obvious."

"You're commentating too much."

"Well sorry." Though she didn't sound sorry.

"You can choose three books from the shelf. Although all of them there are going to be yours someday, but for now, at least today, you're only allow three."

"Is this some sorta test you set up to qualify girlfriends?"

"No, you're already qualified, or else I wouldn't date you in high school."

:Mm… Interesting theory. Seriously though, I like the way you made it all mysterious, or well at least tried. I like it, seriously." He chuckled.

"I try. Now come on, pick."

She ran her fingers through the book spine. She knew instantly that some of the books were not real, they were used as a container, and come were real books. She quickly realized that the books there were the ones that she had read before. Jane Eyre, one of her favorites, she could relate to the devastating feeling Jane felt, because she had been through similar things, the only difference was that she wasn't been sent to an orphanage; Harry Potter, also a series of books that she admire; there was also Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo), she had always looked up to Edmond Dantès, the way he dealt with things, and how quick he pick up knowledges in the prison, and how he enacted each revenge.

Annabeth chuckled when she saw Fifty Shades Trilogy, Me Before You, Twilight. These were the romance novels that she read in junior high. There were also non-fictions on the shelf, of course, she had read them before.

"I'm flattered by the fact that you actually remembered the books that I had read."

"You read too much, so it's not hard to guess sometimes." He shrugged. "Chosen yet?"

"Yep." She said as she picked up three books.

"Okay, don't open them just yet. Come, sit." He patted his lap. She went and sat on his laps and spread out the three choices she had on their laps.

Looking at her choices, he wasn't sure what to say.

"Aw… Look at you, speechless." Annabeth teased at Percy's gaping figure.

"I didn't expect you to choose that." Pointing to Fifty Shades Trilogy. She smirked.

"I wanted to choose The Count of Monte Cristo originally, but I was curious about what you'll possibly put in here, though I do have an idea, but I still wanna see it." She said pointing to the book.

"Fine, but leave it to the end okay?"

"You seemed nervous, about it, maybe my guess is right then." She smiled at him warmly, and pecked on his nose.

She opened Jane Eyre first, and in there dropped out two letters. One in a grey envelope and another in sea green.

"Read that when you got home." He said and took the sea green one away, setting it down on the arm of the chair. "Read this one."

She opened the envelope and found a piece of paper in grey. The words were hand written and not typed. "You're writing got better."

 _Annabeth,_

 _Happy 27th birthday, you're now one year older than me._

 _But this is an apology letter. First of all, I'm sorry to ruin your birthday by telling you this, but I have to, and I can't find another way to tell you this._

 _I'm sorry that I dragged you to that party, and I didn't mean to cheat. I really thought you should be having some fun after the test, you've been stressed for that whole year because you're afraid that you wouldn't graduate._

 _Don't think that I haven't noticed your change. I understand the reason behind everything that you changed, but I didn't know how to fix it. You were my first serious relationship, and I'm not ashamed to call you my true love, you really are. I wish I didn't mess things up._

 _I'm sorry that I became a player, I know you don't like this new me. I tried everything to move on, because I thought I won't be seeing you anymore. I thought you went back to California, and that was the worst goodbye I would give to anyone. I don't know what I had said that night, but that was not the last words I wanted you to hear. I really didn't mean it._

 _I will understand if you don't want me, but can you give me a chance to redeem my sins and at least be your friend? This is my last request to you._

 _Hope you will find happiness in the other letter._

 _I will always love you more than just friends._

 _Percy Jackson_

Percy didn't know what he wanted to get out of Annabeth, but it was definitely out of his mind to see her smile after reading the letter.

"You think too much." She cupped his face and forced him to face her. Her eyes were full of determination, and she looked at him with it. "Don't beat yourself up okay? I was trying to tell you, but you were having sex with Rachel, so I left a hint in the book I left there."

"I was drugged?!"

"By whom?"

"I don't want you to know, because you're gonna make rash decisions. I'm not telling you, not even if you promised not to get yourself in jail. No, just not gonna tell. Not now."

"When are you drugged, except you doing it yourself."

"That's for another time."

She ignored Percy's protest and went to the second book.

It was The Rosie Project.

"Am I your Rosie Project Seaweed Brain?" She suggested teasingly.

"Maybe." He smirked but shrugged.

"I'm sorry that I can't wear the earring you gave me. It just doesn't fit my style right now. Sorry." She sounded sincere, he waved it off. "Put this around me will you?" She handed him the silver neckless with a crescent moon on it.

He shook his head. "Wait till you open your last one."

She opened Fifty Shades Trilogy. She found a small exquisite box.

"Is that what you thought it would be?" He asked.

"Close enough."

"Why are you giving it to me?"

"I want you to have it."

"But aren't you going to need it in the future?"

"It has your name engraved, who will I give other than you?" Then his eyes widened. "Wait… What? Please don't get my hopes up…"

She chuckled.

"Well, in that case, I will be thinking an alternative." He smiled up at her.

"Is that so? Okay then, I'll accept it. You want to chain this around my neck don't you?"

"You want it on your finger? I wouldn't mind? Actually I would love to put it on your finger and mark you mine."

"One can dream." She smiled, suppressing a laugh. He put the neckless and

"Let's go back shall we?" They got up and proceeded to the door. Switching off the lights behind them.

"I'm leaving for Europe in two days." She stopped abruptly just as they were about to enter the door to Frank's restaurant, which was serving as an entertainment venue. "Oh, and also, I marked you already." She winked and swung the door open. "Comin?" She asked as she turned to look at the gaping Percy. She held the door open for him, he was confused and surprised.

"That's too much info for a guy to take in one night, and this," gesturing the hickey on his neck, "is so not you Annie." He whispered in her ear as he passed her. She just smirked, and swatted his head for calling him 'Annie'.

"What are you gonna do about it?"


	14. Fourteen

In a hotel under the Poseidon shipping property. Blasting loud musics could be heard miles away. Familiar and unfamiliar faces could all be seen. It was a gathering of basically all celebrities from the hollywood and singers, athletes, anyone you could think of that was famous amongst America. Even children of some of the most well known business men's were attending.

The first floor was filled with people, chattering, dancing, drinking, eating, making out, or puking. The second floor and above had a smell of sex. It wouldn't be categorized as some quiet place, it's just the sound it produced was a little different from the ones downstairs.

This was none other than the infamous hollywood sex god Percy Jackson's birthday party.

Well, actually, it was the day before his actual birthday, but, in other words, he wanted to spend the day of his actual birthday with his friends and family.

The next day, after he got over his hungover by taking pills, he went to the beach with his family.

He had a large family. He had a step dad, and a half brother, but what was filling up all the space in his family tree was from his biological father. The business man, Poseidon. He's got quite a large family. Luckily, on this very fine morning of Percy's actual birthday, he only brought Triton, Percy's half brother, Amphitrite, his wife, and legally Percy's step mother.

The beach they went to was none other than Montauk. It was where Poseidon and Sally first met, although they were never married, but they still remained a good relationship. This beach held some precious memories to both Sally and Percy.

* * *

"Look who finally decides to show up." Jason said as Percy step inside his own apartment. There he saw all his friends packed in his living room, taking up as much space as they could. All of them stared at him. "We thought you're not gonna check out your presents. There's a surprise in there though."

"You guys had already went through them?" He asked in disbelieve, not sure if he was more angry or surprised.

"Maybe." Nico shrugged.

"Boyfriend?" Percy pointed his chin towards the blonde guy next to Nico. Nico nodded.

"Will Solace."

"Pleasure to meet you." They shook hands.

"Hey Calypso." He hugged Calypso. Even though sometimes it was a little awkward between them, but they still tried to make everything normal.

"Not cool dude." Leo on the side huffed.

"Valdez."

"Why last name man." He demanded, but was ignored by Percy. "C'mon people."

Percy went to the corner where all his gifts were put in a neat pile. There were a stack of cards that he didn't bother to look at, and there were some wrapped in colorful wrappers. But that was not what caught his eyes.

His eyes landed on three boxes, there weren't much difference as the others, but there was a sticky note attached to it, with the same handwriting. There was another box, that was wrapped in simple blue wrappers, there were no address, no bowties made out of silk, nothing, just a box wrapped with blue papers.

He picked that up and teared it open.

A note fell out on the first layer.

Knew you would be opening mine first XD

Still no signature. He opened the lid of the box, and saw anther sticky note, the same as the ones he saw on the other three presents.

Look at the other three with this same note on it, so you will understand my apology.

He didn't finish reading the rest of the note and turned to the other three.

He took the first one, and read the sticky note. It says

Who ever she is, she seemed desperate.

The second one says

 _You surprise me more and more each day, gurl._

And the last one says

 _More like in your Wettest Dreams._

Then he turned back to the original sticky note, that he still had in his other hand. Confused than ever, he continued to read.

 _I'm sorry to go through them. I read through their letters, but didn't look through the attachments. Again, I'm sorry._

 _I have a request tho. Go through the rest (I mean the one in this box) in the end will you?_

 _Happy Birthday_

 _Annabeth Chase (W.G.)_

"You lied to me."

"Δεν είχα." I didn't. A voice came from the middle of the staircase.

He turned towards it abruptly. Taking in who just came down, especially the outfit, he was unable to get words out of his mouth. He just stood their, mouth opened.

"Valdez de noche." She said evening Valdez, and bowed to Leo. "Sorry, that's the only phrase I know right now. She didn't have time to teach me much."

"Who's she?" Leo asked. Ignoring Leo's question, she turned to Jason.

"Spero tu hanc linguam carorum Jason." I hope you find this language endearing Jason. Annabeth said, and Jason's eyes widened in surprise. He nodded and smiled in response.

"I met Reyna and your mother." She addressed to Piper, who was about to get all excited about wanting to meet Reyna, Annabeth continued. "Je peut ou non laisser glisser que vous avez une vie amoureuse." I may or may not let it slip that you have a love life. Piper looked about to murder, she stood up and lunged at Annabeth, crashing her to the wall.

"Jesus christ, how many languages do you speak?"

"Four, and I can understand German, and a little Spanish." She choked. "Dammit Piper, what do you want?" Piper was pressing onto her rather forcefully.

"What did you…" The question died down when she noticed something on Annabeth's neck. "Is that a love bite I see?" She said pointing at the hickey. "You hooked up with my half brother?"

Annabeth took the chance of Piper's released grip and get away from the wall.

"It's fake." She said as she walked passed the scowling Percy to the door, with her keys.

Everyone was shocked at what had just happened.

"Damn girl, stop acting fucking mysteriously." Leo cursed when Annabeth closed the door.

Percy continued to rummage through his gifts. Most of them didn't interest him. However, he did went through the ones that Annabeth commentated on.

All three of them were songs. The first one' from Rebecca, one of the earliest girlfriends he had in hollywood. It was a song claimed to be written by herself, and sang too. It was named, I Wish You Would. This was basically she regretting that she shouldn't have hung up on him, and she was wanting him back, saying that she actually didn't hate him, but still loved him.

Second one was from Drew, it was called Blank Space. Apparently it was about two players, but eventually the girl fell for the guy, but the guy didn't have a thing for her, so she got jealous when he was in touch with this other girl. And that song clearly was how Drew felt about their whole relationship, and showed jealousy towards the relationship he had with Annabeth.

The third one was from Rachel, the most recent relationship that Percy just got out. The song she presented was something that she did not released into public, it was titled Wildest Dreams. After he scanned through the lyrics, he laughed, now understanding what Annabeth had meant. This whole song was basically telling him to remember her, even in its just in his dreams.

Percy didn't really plan on playing the songs, he just went through the lyrics and set them back down and went back on the box Annabeth had given him. Inside contained only two things. One was a letter, and another was a CD album.

He opened the letter, something fell out. It was a keychain with a trident on it.

 _Happy 27th birthday, Percy._

 _Now that you're the same age as me, you happy? Congrats of aging._

 _The keychain was given by your father. I met him in Greece by the way. I didn't lie to you also, I went there for architectural purposes, my mom summoned me, and apparently I met Piper's mom, and Jason's mom as well as your dad. They wanted me to design a hotel. He wants me to give you this, I don't know why he didn't give it to you himself considering the fact that he came back a day before I did._

 _I was about to spend longer there, but since it's your birthday, I won't be missing it. Yes I went to that party of yours, but I didn't stay for long, and didn't bother to find any of you, and I'm sorry for that._

 _Back on the topic, this CD is all made by myself, no one knew about it actually. It was the record of all the songs that I've written in high school and college. The musics are mixed by myself using my computer._

 _Again, I'm sorry for looking at your gifts without your permission._

 _But anyways, this letter is to tell you that your birthday is far from over. Leave all the songs for them to enjoy, you can even let them listen this CD I made, it's just that you might be getting hijacked for inquiries tomorrow. Come and see me after you read this._

 _You know where to find me._

 _Much Love,_

 _Annabeth_

"Guys, I'm out, do whatever you want with my gifts, sounds rude I know, but I have a hottie waiting for me. By the way, there's a CD in the box Annabeth gave me, you can listen to the songs that she wrote in high school." Percy said in a rush and dash out the house.

He rushed towards Annabeth's secret hiding place since junior high. It was a big tree on a hill that no one gives a damn about. It was at he end of an alleyway. When he got to the usual place where Annabeth would be sitting at, he saw nothing, no one.

 _Where r u? — Percy_

 _Look up_

Oh how could he possibly missed it, there were dim lights coming from the top of the tree. He smiled and put his phone back, and started climbing.

"You wouldn't come if that hickey's real wouldn't you."

Annabeth's voice came out just as Percy's face appeared at the door of the tree house.

"Is this a tree house?"

"Duh…" She answered with an eye roll.

Annabeth was wearing a black and turquoise sports bra, and a black yoga shorts. It was short enough to see half of her tattoo on her inner thigh. She sat up crossed legged. There were blankets and pillows on it set up. She wore no make up, and put on the earring he gave her on her birthday. He also saw a bottle of champaign on the corner of the house.

"I got Beckendorf to build it for me, though, I designed it. It's plain anyway, not much to say." She muttered. "I got Silena to draw a hickey because I wanted to see your reaction, and I also know that Piper will be the one to find out, because she would be attacking me."

"So you planned this whole thing basically. Do they know?"

"No. Not even Beckendorf and Silena knew the whole plan."

"You really are a psychologic aren't you?"

"As your other birthday present, I'm going to give you whatever you want, in any form, I don't care, as long as it can be done in here, this tree house."

"Anything?"

"Yes anything."

"How many though?"

"As much as you like till mid night."

"Wow, you're really spoiling me."

"You're the birthday boy, what can I say."

"Do I have to tell you what I want?"

"No, you can toy me around. Just for tonight though." She added when she saw his devious grin.

He lunged himself at her, making her lie down, so now he was pinning on top of her.

"You want sex?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"Problem?"

"No. Didn't expect you to be this straight forward."

"I also want you to be my girlfriend."

"For how long?" She teased.

"Forever." He said into her lips.

"Way to spend your birthday, boy." She mumbled. "You do know that if you think carefully, I did have a loop hole."

"Where?"

"If I am your girlfriend, you can have sex with me anytime you want, and you can spend your birthday night doing something else that I wouldn't allow you to do with me on normal days."

"In this case, I will have it after mid night." He said getting off her. "Champaign?"

"With a chick flick." She winked pulling out her computer from under the mattress. He laughed. "Take off your shirt."

"Why?"

"Too hot to stay in it." She smirked, still fiddling with her computer setting up the movie.

He pulled her on his lap, and leaned against the wall of the house.

"Lights off?"

"Lights off."

"What are we watching?"

"The notebook."

"But I thought you loathed it."

"I did, but I don't."

The rest of the night went with a blur. They did several things, and tried several things. Percy kept his words when the handle hit twelve.

 **A/N: I'm not good with writing smut scenes, so if any of you would like to write it for me, feel free to do so, but just give me a word telling me you're writing it, and send me a copy. If you want more information about Percy and Annabeth that night that helps you write it, feel free to ask. I will give you a shout out in my next chapter of where you posted.**

* * *

Annabeth was busy with the architecture assignment given by her mother, and she was planning to go to Europe again. She didn't spend much time with Percy, who was now her boyfriend, because she didn't have time to spare.

She suffered from enough trauma to make her think that it was impossible for her to suffer from another one, it made her think that she was immune to distress and betrayal.

That thought was naive.

* * *

Annabeth fumbled through the keys, with shaking hands she found the key hole under the moonlight, and inserted it. This night seemed to be strangely quiet, the moonlight seemed to be exceptionally bright. Closing the door and locking it quickly and silently. Hands still trembling on the lock from the previous event.

Under the reflection of the peaceful moonlight shinning through the balcony, all we see was a broken girl shaken by the hardships she'd been through in her short twenty five years of life. The girl was now sitting on the balcony. Under the bright moonlight we could see tears streaming down her cheeks. Most of her face were covered by her unkempt hair. There were a few streaks no longer in their original color. The girl bit her bottom lip, and put her head on to her laps, she shivered. Taking deep breaths trying to stop herself from sobbing. She heard voices in the house, but she didn't care. When she calmed herself down, she looked up the dazzling stars that outshines any other days. The last few drops of tears hit the floor from her chin and some went down to her neck and into her clothes. Her tee shirt was torn and her short jeans were ripped. She looked like she just escaped prison torture.

With cheeks still wet she walked back into the house, and got up stairs. She dragged her feet to the end of the hallway in front of an ajar blue door. There were lights coming out from it. She pushed it open, and was welcomed by the sound of running water, and a scream coming from the bed.

Her face was all black, tears mixed with makeups. A trace of blood could be seen at the corner of her lips, evidently came from her piercing. Her hair was disheveled, making her looked more scary. With her look, she didn't need to crept up behind people to scare them half to death.

Slowly, she walked towards the source of the scream. The girl stared at her like she was haunting her. Annabeth used her cold grey eyes staring right into the girl's soul. She scrambled to her feet. When Annabeth walked in, she was putting on her clothes. Annabeth backed her up to the wall.

"Rebecca." Her voice came out low and dangerous, which surprised herself too.

"How… How d… do you know my name?" She stuttered with fear, hugging her shirt in front of her tighter.

Annabeth was inches in front of her. Since she was much taller than her, she stared down at her, cornering her. The girl wanted to shrink merge into the wall.

"I knew you're here when I saw Nakamura."

"What is happening?" Percy emerged from the shower with a towel around his waist.

"What the fuck are you doing in the shower in the middle of the night?" She asked without turning around. "Get the fuck back into the shower." She pulled out her gun from her belt and pointed towards him, she turned around and aimed at his head.

"Leave her out of this." Percy said.

"I will be hosting her hostage if you don't get the fuck out of my sight. I'm not exactly sober right now, so if you don't want to be the second person I killed tonight, FUCK OFF." Percy wanted to say something, but couldn't get the words out. "You may listen to the conversation, but stay in the bathroom, make a sound, you're dead. And I mean it, because I've warned you already. And put some clothes on." She added the last part in an annoyed tone.

On the other side, Rebecca was trying to escape using the opportunity, but was been pinned back against the wall by Annabeth's other hand without the gun. She winced at the contact. Percy went back to the shower and closed the door behind him carefully.

"Another sound from you, you're gonna be the sixth person I injured tonight." Annabeth sheathed her gun back onto her belt. "All you have to do is to answer my questions when I ask you, do not give me craps."

"You do know that you're only the tool that Luke and I uses in the game that he started." She begun. Rebecca was still a little shaken from Annabeth's grip on her neck, usually she wasn't scared that easily, but maybe Annabeth was just too well trained. "For your information, I did not steal your precious lover from you, he chose Thalia over you, so let that almost non-existent brain of yours rest, and stop coming after me. I think that you know that idiot won't return any of those feelings for you, even though yours are faked as well. He only sees you as a distraction." She said pointing to where Percy was. "It's time for you to wake up from that little fantasy of yours now. Luke will never return the favor, whatever you'd done for him will never be awarded like he promised. You're just another immature girl who got carried away by love.

"Luke wanted to hunt me down, and you knew that, but you don't know why he chose you out of all people did you?"

Rebecca shook her head.

"Obtuse." Annabeth shook her head with a sigh. "Because he knew that you wanted to seek revenge on me, and that he also wanted me dead, so he decided to let you do your damage first so that he can do his. He knew about your feelings towards him, and he also used it. Damn girl, what's really in that brain of yours." Annabeth said in frustration. "God, why can't anyone see through his stupid plan. Geez, people nowadays seriously need to check their IQ."

"You haven't ask me questions though." She muttered fearfully.

"You want me to ask? Well, is it true that Luke told you Percy's my boyfriend?"

She nodded, looking at the ground.

"And? What else did he tell you?"

"He told me that he's your cousin."

The bathroom door swung open a fully clothed Percy stood there. "What?! He's your cousin? But you dated him."

"Shut up Jackson, this is between me and this ho." Her voice full of venom, effectively shutting him up.

"True. Go on." Annabeth went back to her. She went silent, and bit her lip. "Blackmailed?" She looked up, fear was all displayed in her eyes. She shook her head fiercely. "No, no." She panicked. Annabeth nodded in confirmation.

"Not by Luke himself then. Ethan Nakamura?" Her voice seemed friendly when she asked that. Rebecca looked down, and remained silence.

"I see. Well, thank you for your information Rebecca." She said dully.

"I didn't get blackmailed by anyone, I love Luke okay, and Ethan is my best friend." She screamed hysterically.

"With benefits. I know, pretty obvious I'd say. And this is one of the few truths you had said tonight by the way."

"I'm warning you, what happens in this house, stays in this house. You keep your mouth shut, or I will do it for you." She bent down and whispered in her ear making her shiver because of her voice.

"He didn't need to tell you much for you to get on action. Shallow. He didn't tell you our relationship and what happened in high school and college didn't he?" Rebecca shook her head. "That's what I thought. Did he tell you anything about what happened this Christmas?" She shook her head again. "Trying to act innocent. Asshole." Annabeth mused.

"You're done. Get the hell outta here now." Annabeth turned back to her, pointing at her stuff. Rebecca scrambled to her stuff and started to pack. "You're usually not scared easily, why so scared to day?" Annabeth taunted with a smirk, twirling her gun with her fingers like a pro.

"Yes, I'm not that kind of girl." She said, suddenly getting confident. She turned to Percy who was still standing at the bathroom door. "Why didn't you stop her then? She practically barged in."

"Huh, practically. Good word choice I must say." Annabeth jeered.

"Because this is her house." Percy replied in a deadly calmed voice. Rebecca's eyes widened for a split second, but soon recovered, she opened her mouth, but nothing came out. "Stay here for the rest of the night, we will talk about this tomorrow." He continued with the same tone.

Annabeth's eyes turned murderous once again, but this time, it was at Percy. She pulled out her gun once more and pointed at him.

"You will be sorry for it Annabeth." Percy said, slowly raising his hands above his head.

"You've changed Annie."

"Another word from you, bitch, and you will be tortured by Luke." Annabeth didn't take her eyes off Percy as she walked closer to him, pointing her gun to his chest.

"Oh and how will you do it? I'm sure he won't listen to you." Rebecca challenged.

"I don't know why are you choosing the hard way. I think you know perfectly well what are his punishments, you can simply avoid that by being the sixth person I injured, or be a good girl and shut your ass so you can avoid both. But you already made your choice by now." She loaded her gun. "Challenge accepted. Stupid girl." She spared a glance at her.

Annabeth stared right into Percy's eyes, and saw a flash of panic when she loaded her gun.

"You're not pulling the trigger Annabeth." He tried to remain calm, but Annabeth still detected the panic in his voice.

"If you really trust me with your life, you shouldn't be panicking, isn't that right Percy?" She mimicked.

"Then, let her stay and talk tomorrow."

"I've warned you already that I'm not in a stable state. Don't push your luck Jackson." She pushed the gun onto his skin. "We don't talk and make amends in a game."

"You will regret this."

"I already regret ever meeting you." Hurt flashed through his eyes.

"She came here to talk."

"And just happen to talk to into having sex. You really are stupid. She came here to lure you in to a trap so that she claim her so-called price from Luke when she told him that she got me." She paused and soften her hold on the gun, she retracted the gun from his chest and pointed to her own temple. "You're going to sold me one way or another, and if you're still blind from the situation I suggest you, the oh so wise one go talk to her, in any form you like."

"Annabeth, I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"What do you know?" She chuckled bitterly. Her voice croaked, and low. She was suppressing a thwarting sob. "Don't you realize? Don't you know that apologies and promises just aren't our thing? We never keep our promises to each other, and after we apologize, we'd done it again. In the relationship between you and me, there are no apologies and promises, there is only action."

She shut her eyes tight, squeezing out the last few drops of tears. The tears rolled down her cheeks, turning black when it rolled past her makeup. She bit on her piercing, holding back her whimpers. She did it using a little more force than needed, more blood shed out from it, retracing the route of the dried blood stain. She didn't feel the pain on her lips, she was too concentrated in her agony.

"What I regret the most in my life is that I didn't blow up myself earlier." Her voice sounded vulnerable. "Meeting you just prolonged my agony." Her eyes remained closed. "I at least have the decency to come bade you goodbye, but you didn't even have the guts to tell me you're not the same person I knew and loved."

"I'm still that same person Annabeth." He was on the verge of tears, but he managed a strong but also soft voice.

"You owed me an explanation Percy." Ignoring his words, she opened her eyes, it was like broke glass. She looked into his eyes. "You cut me off with your actions. You're the last straw. I don't blame you for pulling the trigger for my death, because I've been waiting for this moment since I was five." She said depressingly. "Goodbye Percy." She said softly, and closed her eyes one more time. She hope this wouldn't have to open them ever again.

He reached for her hand that was dropped by her side, drawing circles on the back of her hand. However, his gaze was fixed on her other hand. He saw her fingers tightened around the trigger, without second thoughts, he whipped it off her hand. A bullet shot into the ceiling, but nothing was damaged except a bullet hole on the roof.

Annabeth walked out of the room numbly, picking up her gun on her way out, but somewhere inside her, she felt happy.

Although she was losing in this battle in the beginning, but she twisted the situation, and won at last. There was a small, almost invisible smile tucked on her face. She had taken her precautions just in time. She was positive that although her threats to Rebecca might not work on her, but she had already lost her trust amongst her colleagues, because she had made a wrong move. Those tear stained cheeks were real, but the what happened next was all an act, the tears was used as a cover. She had even thought of an alternative if she didn't find the person she was looking for. Been the best, the top need a lot of practice, and what happened in Percy's room tonight proved her practices worthy.

She miscalculated when she got jumped by five people, but it was a sign that told her that her predictions were right. It would be a battle she had to give up fighting. Sometimes losing might not be bad, it depend on how you see it. If you see it as a defeat, then you're been defeated; but if you use the wounds it caused you as a cover for your next plan, this could count as a victory. And this was exactly what Annabeth did. That attack was inevitable, it was the only way to prove Annabeth's theory right. The only thing she didn't expect was how much information she got from it. Luke made a mistake, although not lethal, but it leaked out crucial intelligence that may indirectly predict the end of the war.

No one's scheme could be more well planned than Annabeth's, there would always be a loophole, if not, Annabeth would made sure she found one.

No one was as manipulative as her.

It was a war they must lose.

* * *

 **A/N: When Piper said you hooked up with my half brother, that half brother is Mitchel, if any of you were wondering. But, he's not important anyway.**

 **It might be getting more and more confusing from now on, so feel free to ask me anything if you don't understand. I don't deny that there might be conflicts and clashes with the previous contents in previous chapters, since this whole story is kind of complicated in every aspect. This is just a warning to all readers out there who is reading it. Yes, I know you guys won't understand this last bit of crap I'm talking about, but you will know something about it in the next chapter, at least it will give you an idea. The information will be given out bits by bits. Next chapter MIGHT be exceptionally long, so be prepared.**

 **Last update today btw.**

 **Till next time people,**

 **SapphireTrafficker**


	15. Fifteen

**A/N: Hey people, I know it's been a while, and I'm sorry, but since school started, I won't have time to write. I will update once in a while, but only on the weekends.**

 **I will be answering questions on tumblr during the days, and others (Personal Messages... etc.) on the weekends.**

* * *

Annabeth sat on the balcony, hugging her knees. Her chin rested on top. She looked down onto the street; and to the sky; scanning the buildings, admiring the architecture. She thought about what she told Percy about going to Europe for architectural purposes, part of her wanted to laugh, and part of her was drowned in the guilty feeling of lying to whom she trusted, and whom trusted her the most.

"You're not mad that I cheated on you?" Percy sat down next to her, and asked in a skeptical tone. It made her jumped a little at the sudden break of ice.

"No." She answered not even looking at him, but he was staring at her.

"Furious?"

"No." Her eyes were fixed on an entrance of a building.

"Disappointed."

"No." Narrowing her eyes as she looked closer. She turned to stare at another thing after a while.

"Sad? Betrayed?"

"No." She turned to him with a even smudged face, and chuckled at him. "I have no fucking comment on you cheating on me, what do you want to get out of me? Just shut the fuck up and stop showing off your lack of vocabulary." She let out a genuine smile, her eyes glinted.

"Just relieved that you're not mad." He breathed out, finally taking his eyes off her.

"It's bound to happen anyway." She looked back once again as she muttered. Her hands playing with her shoe laces.

"Okay… Wait, what?!"

"Look, I'm really sorry, and this is my most sincere apology, really."

There was a small pause, the silence was a little icy.

"Here. You need to know something, something that I had been hiding from you. I'm sorry that I can only tell you what I can." Percy gave her a look saying that 'what? You don't trust me?' "I trust you, but I'm going to lose your trust. You will know what I'm saying after you hear me out. Let me just say this beforehand. Tonight will be the night when you are most disappointed and heartbroken, and all of that will be caused by me. I swear I didn't mean it, but it would be inevitable." Percy was more than confused, all he could do was to stare at Annabeth and let her continue, hoping the rest of her words would clear the cloud in his head.

 _\- Flashback -_

 _{Before the party}_

 _"Annabeth."_

 _"Mom?" Annabeth received sympathy looks from Thalia and Nico, but there was nothing she could do, she sighed inaudibly, and motioned them to go to the car first. "Wait for me in the car, if I didn't show up in the next five minutes, leave without me." They left, still giving her looks, but she wasn't paying attention to them, she turned to face her mother._

 _"I thought parties aren't your thing Beth?"_

 _"Mom, just get to the point, you only call me Beth and not criticize me when you are asking me a favor."_

 _"Then, I need you to go on a mission."_

 _"For how long?"_  
 _"As long as it needs."_

 _"Where?"_

 _"Everywhere."_

 _"Classified."_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Then, no."_

 _"What?"_

 _"I'm not going."_

 _"Annabeth, you don't even know —"_

 _"I don't need to, I told you how important my life here and my relationship with Percy is, I'm not leaving. I will go if this mission has a limited time, and doesn't require to run around places, and is not classified."_

 _"You have no idea."_

 _"Then open my eyes."_

 _Athena sighed, and looked at her watch. "You will know. Give me a call or a text after this party." With that she walked away leaving a perfume scent behind._

 _{At the party}_

 _Just as she was about to down her god-knows how many shots, she saw a person waving at her, and motioning her to meet him. She was secretly hoping that the person who asked for her wasn't who she think he was._

 _"I need to go to the bathroom." Annabeth excused herself and slid off Percy and went out of the room. Instead of walking towards the toilet, she turned to the opposite direction._

 _"Ah, Annabeth, I knew you'd come."_

 _"I wish I can say it's good to see you again. Why are you here?"_

 _"Where's Thalia?"_

 _"Why?"_

 _"No, just thought that she would come with you."_

 _"That's none of your concerns Castellan. Make your point or piss off."_

 _"Why in such a rush Annie?"_

 _"Just tell me what you want, Luke."_

 _"Thalia."_

 _"What?"_

 _"You heard me, I want Thalia Grace."_

 _"What if she doesn't feel the same?"_

 _"You just don't know her. Oh and also, I have a special gift for you when you go back to Percy, I hope you like it."_

"And you know what happened next. I left everyone, like literally every single one of you confused in the past five years. Ever since that party I had been cautions around Thalia. I knew she wanted to be with Luke, I knew she still loved him, but somehow, I let it slipped. She knew about what I'm doing, and what my plan was briefly. I have trust issues, I know, but I just trusted her too much, and it ended me up in this state. I did everything for a reason, and that reason you will know after things settle down. The only thing I can do now is to tell you two stories.

Remember the time when you and I were coming out of a cafe, and we saw Luke and Thalia by our car?

 _\- Flashback (when Annabeth gave Luke the box) -_

 _"Aww… The love birds." Luke cooed. Annabeth grimaced. They were the last two people that she needed to run into to ruin her perfect, relaxing day with Percy._

 _"Get out of the way Luke." Completely ignoring Thalia, which Thalia took it as an insult._

 _"Or what?"_  
 _"Or you will regret not moving away."_

 _"Then I'd rather regret than back down in front of a liar."_

 _"I don't mind you calling me names, I really don't, because unlike you, I felt secured, I don't need to brag about things that I didn't do just to make it sound like I'm perfect and cool." She said calmly, looking straight into Luke's eyes. Percy at her side was having a stare down with Thalia, they were completely unaware of the intenseness atmosphere between the two next to them._

 _Annabeth took out a small box from her jeans pocket and smashed it into Luke's chest. Good choice to lean against the car, or else he (Luke) would be sent flying down to his ass in a matter of milliseconds._

 _"Oh you did not just return that to me."_

 _"I didn't." She said simply and got into the car as Luke slowly opened the box. His face was priceless when he saw what was in there. When he looked up, he saw Annabeth's car in a distance, windows rolled down, and she seemed to be staring at his direction._

 _"What? Luke? Are you okay?" Thalia came to his side and examined his pale white face. "Was it the five orange pills?"_

 _"No time for joke Thalia." Thalia turned serious and peeked over Luke's hand and took a look at what was inside._

 _"It's just a plain badge, what's so frightening."_

 _"It's not simple."_

 _Annabeth over heard the conversation in her car from a distance. With a satisfied smile, she drove away._

 _"If you do remember, I just want to tell you why I did it. Yes, it was just a simple badge, but it was not just any badge, it was a badge that represents the organization that was after Luke, as a wanted drug dealer. That was what he dreaded. He will panic if he knows that he's been chased after. What I gave him was just a copy of the original one, it was only a test, a psychological one perhaps. And he failed._

 _Flashback (Annabeth nearly got raped)_

 _Annabeth knew that something would happen tonight. It was either Rebecca's return or Ethan's operation. That was the reason why she went out in the middle of the night, wandering in the desolated alleys._

 _She met Ethan and his people. She saw them before they did. She quickly formed a plan. Seeing Ethan around Percy's house meant that Rebecca would be inside. It was a win-win situation for her, the only thing was that she need to find an excuse to break into Percy's house in the middle of the night, since she knew that if she got in with her own copy of keys, people would know her relationship with Percy, which was something that should not be revealed to public._

 _In her head, she outlined a simple plan, but it was a little risky, because it consists their actions. Luckily, Annabeth had guessed their plan correctly. Of course their ultimate goal would be abducting her to Luke, but obviously they would like to take advantage of her first. It would be a waste if they did not. With Annabeth's self-defense level, it was clear that she could fend off all the attackers, but, that would be violating her plan. Therefore, she let them did whatever they want, and pretend to be weak and struggled to broke free._

 _When she thought they had done enough damage to her, enough for her disguise, she took out her gun that they clumsily did not found out when they rummaged through her. She shot Ethan in the head, if he wasn't dead, he would be in a coma at the least. By analyzing the whole gang when they were trying to do the nasties to her, she realized that, if Ethan was not in command, and said nothing about what to do next, then they would not act. Her theory was proven right when Ethan laid in his own pond of blood. The others flee._

 _She didn't even bother to smooth her shirt, or to make it look a little more normal, looking like she just got rapped was exactly what she wanted. She knew that there might me a chance that someone was following her. Going up to the door, she took out two pins and fiddled with the lock. In a matter of second, the door was unlocked. She went inside, suddenly feeling a surge of panic rising upon her chest, she closed the door behind her silently, and went to the balcony instead of the room straight away like she originally planned._

 _Sitting on the edge of the balcony stairs, she looked down to the street. Squinting through the dark, she found an entrance to a building odd looking. Her mind raced for explanations, in which she found none. Just then, when she heard moaning from the room inside the house, a tiny little dot of blue light, almost uncatchable, flashed at the door entrance. Her eyes focused on it quickly, and as the moaning continues, the light continued to flash; when the sound quieted down, it stopped flashing too. Now that Annabeth had an idea of what that was, it might be a recording device or a sound detector, and that the other end was installed in that room._

 _Quickly forming a plan in her mind, she stood up, and went in._

"Do you know how hazardous it was when you showed affections towards me? If I hadn't talk to Luke today before I came here tonight, you would be dead by this morning. I'm serious. Don't give me that face. It is just this serious, get your mind up to it."

Annabeth deadly stern and serious tone startled Percy, he had never seen her this serious to him before; he had never received this seriously urgent glare from her, as if she wanted his conformation as fast as possible, and it would be better if it was in the next second. He shut his mouth and nodded simply, waiting for Annabeth to make the next move. He sort of had an idea of Annabeth was on a mission that wasn't supposed to be exposed to anyone. Although he didn't really know what was happening and what had happened, also what was the relation between who, all he knew was that Annabeth would be making the right choice, and would be doing what's going to be the best for both of them. He wanted to know more, to share her stress with her, but he knew he couldn't. It was just something that she had to do by herself. As much as he wanted to understand more of what was happening, he knew he couldn't push her. She had already tried her best.

"Percy, look at me…" Annabeth's voice turned soothing and calm. She said in a slow, soft voice. "Percy, close your eyes… Imagine that you and I are on an island… Just me and you… What do you see? Let your self relax… Let your mind drop everything that it's working on… Focus on the island… Focus on the me that's with you on that island… It's beautiful isn't it…" He nodded dreamily. "Let your mind fall… Going into a deep… Deep… Deep… Sleep…" She finished in the slowest, softest, and most gentle voice. "Percy Jackson, you are now completely under my, Annabeth Chase's control. I, Annabeth Chase, solemnly swear that I will not be deceiving and taking advantage of you physically, mentally, verbally, or in any ways that you could think of in your hypnotized form. All you have to do is to listen, listen and remember every word I said." Her voice turned normal, but was still slow.

"From now on, you will not speak a word about what had happened tonight. You may have the memory, but you may not speak about it. You will understand my mission and why I left you, however, it is up to you to choose how you think of me. Just remember, no matter what your feelings are for me, you may not mention what I did and where I went to anyone, keep it to yourself. You don't have to forget that you're been hypnotized by me, but just make sure to stay alert and don't get hypnotized by other people. This is my life that you're holding on to.

Lastly, this is not a command, this is me begging you. Please, Percy, this might be the last time we can talk or eve see each other, and I'm sorry that I don't have the guts to tell you this when you're sober, maybe it's because I can't bear the look on your face. I'm really sorry, please understand I did this for you and your friends and family's safety. As much as you don't want to acknowledge it, but I am a burden to you, to the people who cared about me and who I cared as well.

Our path may cross again, but for now it's goodbye. I'm begging you here Percy, don't wait for me, as much as I don't want to tell you this, but I might not make it back.

I love you Percy Jackson, always have and always will. You are always my Seaweed Brain. Don't let anyone get ahold of that nickname, it belongs to me.

Goodbye, I hope to see you again.

You will wake up and go straight back to your room and sleep without making a sound after I peck you on your forehead." Annabeth stopped, and thought for a second. She leaned towards Percy. Going over everything in her mind, she thinks it was time for him to wake up. He did not need to know anything more. She gave him a peck like she told him. He woke up not even taking a second glance at Annabeth, stood up and walked quietly back to his room, not making a single noise.

No matter what happened between them, it was always that same old love.

* * *

When she heard the door's locking sound, she stood up and bolted out of the house, straight to the door entrance that she had been monitoring on the whole night ever since she discovered it. Quietly, and unnoticeably, she reached the entrance, and saw just what she wanted to see…

* * *

Percy woke up in the morning, feeling a little dazed, he felt like there was something at the back of his mind that he should remember, but in some way he shouldn't. He stood up, somehow thinking that he shouldn't be talking nor making any noise in this noise that was understandable to human beings. Walking down stairs to the kitchen, he saw Piper and Jason sitting next to the table, already eating breakfast.

"Yo sleepyhead." Piper piped in.

Percy looked at her, hesitated for a moment and replied. "Morning lovebirds."

"Yo, Perce, you okay? You seemed a little off today." Jason asked, putting down his fork, giving his full attention to Percy, who felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, which usually doesn't happen.

"Didn't sleep well." Percy shrugged. It was a lie, perhaps, he wasn't sure either. He wasn't sure what to think off, he couldn't remember things properly, he felt like someone had gotten into his head, switched and reconnected all the wires onto different ports, making all the data information went riot. Percy wanted to be alone, strangely not in his room though; he just wanted to get his thoughts right, it wasn't logical to him of what he was thinking just now. There was something itching for him to dig out at the very depth of his mind. It felt like it was at the bottom of an abyss in his brain, although it couldn't be seen, but it could be felt by subconsciousness.

All morning, he tried to either write down or draw, or describe what he was thinking to Jason and Piper about what he remembered, but he couldn't.

"What happened last night?" He finally gave up and asked. But what he got wasn't something he expected.

"What? What do you mean what happened last night? You weren't even home." Jason cried. This made Percy even more confused.

Did he really have a mental problem? Or was it just a temporary memory loss? Had anyone played with his mind recently? Or was there an accident that damaged his brain? He didn't recall having a brain surgery. Heck, he didn't even have the memory of him being in the hospital recently. If, if his memories were valid and reliable. Then, did something happened to Piper and Jason yesterday night?

"Hey, Percy." Piper said, breaking the silence that was slowly building up.

"Hmm?" He asked still waiting for the coffee machine to fill his cup.

"You know those comments Annabeth left on your birthday presents? They're hilarious. She sounds like your mom." Piper chuckled, she wasn't looking at Percy, so she didn't notice the confused expression on his face. "That was all in my mind last night, I don't know why, I was dreaming about it all night, and laughing in my dreams." Piper looked up and laughed.

"Holy, shit!" Percy exclaimed.

"What Perce?" Jason asked, even more concerned of his friend's physical and mental state.

Percy dashed out of the kitchen, and went back to his room, rummaging his boxes of old stuff, trying to find a clue of who Annabeth was. That name sounded important to him. It felt like the name he should remember, but also should not. Just then his phone lit up. On the screen it says Frank sent him a text, but that was not what caught his eyes. What did was his lock screen wallpaper. It was him with a girl with long blonde curls, and intimidating grey eyes.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. Not updating in weeks, you guys certainly don't deserve a chapter this short, but my intentions for this chapter are trying to reveal more pieces of this big puzzle. This story is made out of little pieces of events, those pieces will be revealed one by one, and not at the same time, thus, there will not be some direct confession of getting things straight. In the end, you will be able to understand this whole story, and what had happened if you pieced all the pieces of puzzles together. Hopefully, my plan would work.**

 **To those who didn't pay attention to the three sentences at the very beginning, I will repeat once again. I will be answering questions, literally any kind, on tumblr. You can reach me quicker using tumblr, however, I will be answering your PMs and other kinds.**

 **Go to my profile to check out my username. Also, if you have Wattpad, let me know. My Wattpad and tumblr informations are both on my profile page. So** **check it out will you? I also have an AO3 account, but I don't post stuff, so I'm not telling you my username.**

 **Dedications**

 **Islingr-kun: I really hope you would be writing that lemon scene, if not, it's fine. No biggie. Again, thank you for all the support you've given me throughout this story, I know that I haven't been updating a while, quite a long time, maybe; you also told me in one of your reviews that you don't really care when I update as long as it's not half a year or so. Thank you for the understanding and the tolerance, I have been extremely busy these past weeks, my school started as you know, and I have a hell lotta work, tons queuing, waiting for me to complete them. I really do wish you enjoy this chapter, I know that the big psychological twist confused a bunch of readers, and I tried to have it explained in this chapter. Also, I am thinking of editing this whole story from the start and replace each chapter after I edited them, I just wanted to ask you that do you like me to edit it then continue? Or shall I edit all of them after this story ends. I'm indecisive sometimes, I would really appreciate it if you help me out; if not, don't feel burdened.**

 **Guest: Aww... Thank you, this is very encouraging. I hope you like and understood what happened and what is happening so far. If not, shoot me a question in your review at the comment section below. It is normal to be confused. This story is made up of fragments of different events, it will be pieced together eventually. I assume you will understand after you pieced the pieces all together after the story.**

 **Guest (Chapter 6, Sept., 6): I'm really sorry, I really owe every one of you an apology, but because my school started few weeks ago, and I'm surprised by the amount of work that we had to do in the first few weeks of school. I am really really busy, with school, I'm not kidding, I'm really doing school work. I can only come up here on Friday night, and that's all for one week. Although I do think of this story at school, when I have the time, but I still don't have the time to write it. You know? I actually had thought of quitting on this story, because I think I am making this way too complicated and psychological for my readers, but then, when I saw your review, you brought my hopes up. I started to rethink, and reconsider my decision, so as a result, I finished this chapter, and posted it. You are the life saver of all readers that enjoyed this story so far.**

 **Till next time ppl**

 **SapphireTrafficker**

* * *

 ** _Sorry to everyone one who read till this chapter, this story is now officially stopped, I marked it as complete, because it is really going no where, and noticed that I've changed the name of the whole story to_** _'Love You Goodbye' **because I am going to rewrite this whole thing and make it more interesting, so that the rewrite will be called **_ Same Old Love _**and it will, hopefully, be better. Don't know when it will be up, but that story takes up a lot of time, a lot more than some of the stories I am working on right now.**_

 _ **Last Modified: 2016.10.09**_


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